Landmark Baptist

Now that I have finished Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church: Inclusive Congregational, Preparatory, Missional, Strategic, I am moving on to Who Runs the Church?: 4 Views on Church Government, which I recently purchased [Steven B. Cowan (Editor), Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2004. ISBN 0310246075. $16.99].

I have skimmed through the book and it looks like it will prove very interesting. It is part of the Zondervan Counterpoints: Church Life series. In the book are presented four different beliefs about church government by:

• Episcopalianism (Peter Toon)
• Presbyterianism (L. Roy Taylor)
• Single-Elder Congregationalism (Paige Patterson)
• Plural-Elder Congregationalism (Samuel E. Waldron).

First, a particular view is presented. That is followed by critiques from the other three contributors. Then the advocate of the originally presented position responds. I am particularly interested in the debate between Patterson and Waldron on the two different aspects of congregational government. Evidently Taylor, Patterson, and Waldron attempt to present their views from a strictly sola scriptura approach. Peter Toon, the Anglican, rejects a strict sola Scriptura approach and adds to it the early and historical practice of "the church" to support his position.

A limited preview can be found here:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=LuDEgnPVd-IC

Ordering info can be found here:
http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/ProductDetail.htm?ProdID=com.zondervan.9780310246077&QueryStringSite=Zondervan

The study of church government is much needed in our day. In his introduction, the editor mentions how it was not taught in his church as he grew up and not in the seminary he attended. He also brings out how common it is for modern systematic theologies to teach that the Scriptures require no particular form of church government.

I remember reading some of Bro Cowans Sunday schol liturature and it was very useful, I'm sure he presents some good arguments.


At least I think it is the same Cowan I remember.

Bro. Cowan doesn't really enter into the debate. As the editor of the volume, he writes the introduction and conclusion. The debate is between the other four men. I read last night Paige Patterson's chapter on single-elder led congregationalism and the three replies to it. I thought he made a pretty weak case, but I may be prejudiced since I see the plural-elder model in the NT. I skipped the Episcopalianism and Presbyterianism chapters because I am more interested in the single-elder/plural-elder debate. I will go back and pick up those chapters later.

A few briefs quote from 4 Views shows a little of how the different writers approach the subject.

"...the Anglican form of church government is an attempt to conform in general terms to the pattern of the early church in the third, fourth, and fifth centuries." -- Peter Toon, p. 24
"...the modern Anglican does not see any blueprint for the polity and government of the church written in Scripture." -- Peter Toon, p. 28

"...Toon is willing to embrace the result of five centuries of development in the post-apostolic church. To put the matter another way, I believe that churches should invoke the Bible alone for faith and practice." -- Paige Patterson, p. 50

"Presbyterians do not agree that the minute details of church government are to be found in the Bible, but that the general principles of ecclesiastical polity are to be derived from Scripture." -- L. Roy Taylor, p. 76

"[it is] possible to observe churches apparently functioning under congregational determination." -- Paige Patterson, p. 144
"There simply are no 'commandments' on this issue [plural elders]. The case then must be made on the basis of what can be determined from observing leadership practice throughout the Scriptures." -- Paige Patterson, p. 152

"To argue that a single, strong pastor is necessary on such pragmatic grounds is directly to imply the inadequacy of the Scriptures for the man of God and to impugn the wisdom of the God who gave the Scriptures." -- Samuel Waldron, p. 206