A Theology of Authority : Rethinking Leadership in the Church

Is authority reserved for those with a specific calling to leadership?Who holds power in the church? Does authority have limits? Are teaching and preaching the most important practices of authority?Our understanding--and misunderstanding--of authority has significant implications for our individual and corporate flourishing.In A Theology of Authority, Christa McKirland challenges our assumptions about authority, power, and leadership.With a focus on low-church traditions, she examines authority through the lens of analytic philosophy and biblical theology to offer a theological definition of authority.She also tackles questions related to divine and human authority, Scripture, and practices typically related to ordination: preaching, teaching, serving communion, baptizing, church discipline, and vision casting. A Theology of Authority expands our understanding of authority, recognizing the Spirit's enablement of each member to fulfil their calling to spiritual maturity.Readers will gai