PASTORAL MINISTRY ACCORDING TO PAUL: A BIBLICAL VISION

Written by James W. Thompson Reviewed By Christoph Stenschke

The present volume is an inspiring study of the goal of Paul’s ministry among his churches. At the same time it poses a crucial challenge to Christian ministry today. At the beginning Thompson outlines the difficulties and promises in ‘Discovering a Pauline Pastoral Theology’ (7–29). He argues that ‘Paul provides a coherent pastoral vision that can be the basis for a contemporary pastoral theology. My purpose is to move beyond the focus on the roles of the minister and the how-to literature of ministry in order to determine the ultimate aim of our work’ (11). After surveying Pauline pastoral theology in previous studies, Thompson outlines a new perspective: ‘The center of Paul’s thought is a theology of transformation, which provides the basis for Paul’s pastoral theology’ (19). For Paul, ‘ministry is participation in God’s work of transforming the community of faith until it is “blameless” at the coming of Christ’, thus ‘Paul’s pastoral ambition is to participate with God in effecting the transformation of his communities’ (20). Thompson goes even further in arguing that this theology of transformation emerges as the centre of Paul’s thought, as ‘Paul offers a consistent statement of his pastoral ambition in almost all of his letters, Paul’s statements about his pastoral ambition are consistent with the major themes in his theology. Despite the variety of circumstances in which Paul writes, his argument moves toward ethical exhortation in his hope of shaping the church’s transformation’ (20). This ambition is reflected in Paul’s letters. On the present day significance Thomson writes:

Paul’s clear articulation of his pastoral ambition provides focus to the contemporary minister who struggles with a variety of expectations. His focus on community transformation is a welcome alternative to our own focus on meeting the individual needs of members of the congregation. Moreover, his call for a communal and countercultural ethic provides a missing dimension in the contemporary understanding of ministry. For Paul, all of the functions and skills of the minister fit within a pastoral theology of transformation (29).

In the remainder of the volume Thompson argues for this aim of ministry in Paul’s letters: ‘Blameless at His Coming: Paul’s Pastoral Vision in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians’ (‘Paul’s portrayal of a community that lives in the establishing the community and the “day of Christ” is a constant feature in his letters and the central feature of his letters and the central feature of his pastoral theology’, 59); ‘Living between the Times: Pauline Anthropology and the Problem of Transformation in Galatians’ (Galatians, he claims, offers a glimpse into the messiness of pastoral ministry, and, ‘One wonders if Paul is realistic in his ambitions to shape a cruciform community by the power of God, especially in a culture of individualism that defines freedom as self-realization. We are more inclined to “accept out humanity” than to demand transformation into the image of the crucified and selfless Christ’, 82); ‘Romans as Pastoral Theology’ and ‘Building the Community: Pastoral Theology as Community Formation in the Corinthian Letters’. The conclusion, ‘Transformation and Pastoral Theology’, summarizes the results and relates them to contemporary notions of ministry. Paul’s eschatological orientation provides an alternative view of reality for the foundation of pastoral theology. Paul also challenges the contemporary focus on the individual and emphasizes community formation. According to Paul, ministry should not retreat from ethical direction, but rather offer guidance resulting in ethical transformation.

This is an important study of Paul’s ministry, ecclesiology and eschatology. The present day implications are far-reaching and challenge the agenda of many evangelical ministers, ministries and churches. It is a timely and necessary Western church and the one-sided emphasis on numerical church growth which often prevails. It is surprising, however, that detailed treatment of letters such as Ephesians and above all the Pastoral letters is missing.


Christoph Stenschke

Missionshaus Bibelschule Wiedenest