Hosts Derek Rishmawy and Brad East are joined by Myles Werntz to discuss his Christianity Today Award of Merit-winning book, Contesting the Body of Christ: Ecclesiology's Revolutionary Century. Rather than systematic argument, Werntz uses narrative case studies examining how diverse Christian communities—from African Pentecostals to Korean Presbyterians—have embodied and contested the classical marks of the church.

His starting premise: assume the Holy Spirit is at work in churches confessing Christ, then investigate what's happening. The conversation tackles tough questions about theological boundaries, ecumenical charity, and faithful disagreement when salvation is at stake.

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Key Topics

Why the 20th century was revolutionary for the church (Vatican II, Pentecostalism, decolonization, ecumenical movement)
Contestation as intrinsic to ecclesial life, not a bug but a feature
Theological guardrails: the Nicene Creed, Scripture, faith-hope-love
Limit cases: when does disagreement become denial of God's work?
How to argue faithfully in a non-Roman Catholic ecclesiology

Guest

Myles Werntz, Professor of Theology at Abilene Christian University

A podcast from Mere Orthodoxy

Contesting the Body of Christ

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