000			02515nam a22002417a 4500
999			_c58154 _d58154
003			AU-EpEBC
005			20210329015402.0
008			210329s2019 wead||||r ||| 000 0 eng d
020			_a9781907098437 (pbk.)
040			_cAu-EpEBC
082			_a261
998			_bml
100	1		_aSmith, David
245			_aThe model church : its essence, expression, and goal / _cDavid A. Smith.
260			_aPerth, WA : _bSnowgoose Media, _c2019.
300			_axi, 196 pages : _btables ; _c24 cm
520			_aThis book addresses the division that exists between theory and praxis. Theology in general and practical theology as a specific discipline has allowed this division to arise and indeed grow. The problem facing us is that faith communities now operate out of blind theory and/or blind praxis. To address this situation a reintegration of the theory and practice of the entire ecclesial praxis is needed. This thesis proposes "Practical Theological Ecclesiology" as the way forward. Practical theological ecclesiology addresses both the abstractness of pure ecclesiology and the pragmatics of the praxis through the development of an operational ecclesiology model that integrates the essence, expression and goal dimensions of the ecclesial praxis. By applying the operational ecclesiology model to praxis, practical theological ecclesiology, through the tasks of grounding, integrating, aligning and improving, uncover the gaps that exist in and between the theory and praxis of a faith community. The resulting analysis provides ecclesial pictures of what is, compared to what should be, according to the operational ecclesiology model. The areas of ecclesial life which need to be grounded, integrated, aligned and improved are therefore exposed for ongoing work. Historical and contemporary research of the Christian Community Churches of Australia, provide the data for a case study which illustrates the potential and the analysis process of practical theological ecclesiology. The research underlines the importance of having an integrated operational ecclesiology, of grounding and integrating the theory, of aligning of theory and praxis, and of providing improvement direction for the praxis, thus removing theory and praxis division, avoiding both blind theory and blind praxis, and giving a clear pathway for the future.
650		0	_aEcclesiology
650		0	_aTheology, Practical
650		0	_aBrethren Church _xHistory
650		0	_aBrethren Church _zAustralia
942			_2ddc _cCLOS