Democracy In The Christian Church An Historical Theological And Political Case

"Can and should Christian churches be organized democratically? This work uncovers how Christian communities display a pattern of adoption, and sometimes adaptation, of both theoretical insights and concrete procedures from civil polity. The author explores the implications of practices such as majority voting and the selection of officials in the context of the wider theoretical justifications. Luca Badini Confalonieri addresses complex ecclesiological issues such as: are certain church structures divinely willed, and consequently both permanent and irreversible? Is majority rule inherently relativist, and therefore innapplicable within the church? And, should those church officials exercising decision-making power represent the community, and be democratically chose by the latter? The result is a concise outline of a democratic church. Confalonieri explains how to take advantage of the experiences, insights, and values of the entire Christian community in the process of decision-making. In so doing, he demonstrates that the goal of more fully bringing about collective responsibility in the church need not remain an abstract ideal, but can, and should, be actively pursued." - back cover