A Theology Of The Laity

The laity (the body of ordinary lay-members of the Church) has seldom enjoyed the distinction of being treated with care and thoroughness as a matter of specific theological importance or significance. The subsidiary treatment by the professional theologians, argues Hendrick Kraemer, is an inexcusable lack and an indication of a partly mis-oriented understanding of the Church in its wholeness. Kraemer's A Theology of the Laity, first published in 1958 was one of the first comprehensive attempts at constructing a theology of the whole people of God. It remains a foundational and important work on the subject. Hendrik Kraemer (1888-1965), a layman, was a Dutch Reformed theologian, linguist, and missiologist is recognized as one of the most significant theologians of Christian mission. Kraemer studied Indonesian languages at Leiden University and was awarded a PhD. in 1922. He then served with the Netherlands Bible Society in Indonesia until 1937, when he as appointed professor of the history and phenomenology of religion at Leiden Unversity. From 1948-1955 Kraemer served as the first director of the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Institute at Chateau de Bossey, Celigny near Geneva. Following his return from Indonesia, Kraemer involved himself heavily in the Dutch church and in mission work, contributing significantly to the revival of the Cutch Reformed church after World War II. One of his last endeavours was to develop a theology of the laity.

Right across denominational boundaries lay theology is dominated by negatives: the laity simply defined as the non-ordained, the alleged exclusion of the laity from full participation, the sole focus on what they cannot or should not do, and, above all, the total absence of an ecumenical lay theology. In a unique approach, this volume sets out to find ways of overcoming these negatives so predominant in current lay theology. The author explores positions and perspectives put forward in Roman Catholic theology from Vatican II up to the present. These are compared and contrasted with concepts and suggestions of present-day Anglican Theology as well as with those of liberative theologies in Latin America and Asia. Rethinking the content, language, and metaphors of lay theology, in the final part of this volume the author proposes a new image for discussing the Church, a model focusing on the interdependence and collaboration of all the people in the Church. This is then used to sketch out the framework for a new type of lay theology. Imbedded in ecclesiology, in the concept of all believers together being the Church, the author endeavours to suggest a lay theology that is indeed positive, ecumenical and universal.

Overcoming the dualism between the Church and the world requires a decisive engagement: the yeast must disappear into the dough in order to become bread, but this bread must in turn be consecrated to God. With his characteristic theological depth and historical breadth, von Balthasar discusses the development of secular institutes-groups of lay people who live the life of the counsels, poverty, chastity, and obedience, in the world-as a response to the problems of our time. In the process, he sketches the outlines of a theology of states of life in the Church, presents a fascinating account of the development of vows and the religious life in the history of the Church, and compares the new secular institutes with other lay movements in today's Church. This book, which is a collection of essays von Balthasar wrote over a period of forty years, makes apparent like no other the historical and theological significance of secular institutes, and their fruitful potential.

Theological reflections explore the genuine role of the Catholic laity, leading to proposals for a "lay liberation theology" and structural reform of the Catholic church. "Throughout, Lakeland does an admirable job of balancing his style to make the work useful for both general and specialized readers. Lakeland surveys the contributions of an impressive number of historical and contemporary writers on the laity."QWilliam A. Clark, "Catholic Books Review."Continuum Books

The church is made up of both the clergy and the laity. And for it to properly fulfill the mission for which it was instituted by Christ, all its members, each according to his or her God-given gift, must contribute both to the upbuilding of the church and to its mission. On the part of the laity, their active participation in the general mission of the church ad intra and ad extra has been a great challenge in the life and practice of the church throughout its history. The Second Vatican Council, in its spirit of aggiornamento, makes some positive difference. This work critically examines the conciliar documents, some relevant postconciliar documents, and theological reflection of some theologians. And finally, it proffers solutions that will enhance the active participation of the laity in the mission of the church in general and the church in Southeast Nigeria in particular.