Erickson on Ecclesiology
Today I took a stab at reading Millard Erickson. I am hoping that, over time, my mind will become more focused - but it is very easy to get distracted by every little detail. I'd wanted to read straight through his section on The Nature of the Church pp 949 - 970. In actuality, I only got started on his section "Defining the Church". Pp 950-956 Lots of rabbit trails to wander here. For instance, Erickson's assertion that the doctrine of Ecclesiology has not received as definitive treatment as doctrines such as Christology, the atonement, salvation (951). Is this true? Or does it simply reflect the state of Protestant Ecclesiology after its reframing of the doctrine during the reformation? The Catholic and Orthodox churches have a very clearly defined ecclesiology. For them the term "Church" indicates a concrete historical body, with an authority structure, that was passed down to the present through Apostolic succession. This claim to historical co