Subject: Re: Nigel"s "etymology" and Troy's "priest"
Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 10:45:00 GMT
From:  (Nigel B. Mitchell)
Reply-To:  
Organization: iiNet Limited
Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian

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(Andrew Bromage) wrote:
>I dunno if this is helpful or not, but I should note here that these
>words are almost certainly being used as jargon terms in most places
>in the New Testament.

Hi, Andrew.

I suspect that you are right.

Words like Episkopos, Diakonos, Presbuteros, ekklesia, baptidzo (hi Chris) were
certainly used as technical terms in the early church. They had meanings that were related
to, but not the same as, their original meaning. It is also true that the meaning and
definition of these words continued to develop (since we are apparently not allowed to use
the word "evolve") after the NT period. Episcopal, Priestly and Diaconal
ministry in the church of the 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th centuries have all been remarkably
different from the episkope, presbuteroi, and diakonoi referred to in the Bible.

This is as it should be. The Church has not stood still with a single 1st century model
of ministry. There were changes before, but since the protestant reformation there have
been a plethora of new models of episkope, diakonos and presbuteros in various Christian
communities. In some, episkope is exercised by a single person, who may hold office for
life or for a fixed term. In others, episkope is exercised by a committee. Some see a role
for episkope over a group of like-minded churches, whilst others prefer to regard each
local congregation as autonomous. Some Christian communities include women amongst their
episkopoi, diakonoi and presbuteroi, and others do not. Some see some or all of these as
roles which are recognised by Ordination, and others do not. 

The roles of teaching and administration (episkope- oversight), leadership of the local
community (presbuteroi-eldership), and 'waiting on tables' (diakonos - servant) are
exercised in every Christian community, and in groups of Christian communities.  

cheers

N+

Nigel B. Mitchell