ekklesia/Mitchell Gray

Theodore H Mann thmann at juno.com
Tue Jul 27 19:25:49 EDT 1999


Hi Mitch:

Yes, my wife and I say the same thing, as well as "we're meeting with the
saints," or some such.  However, if "church" is not the best translation
of EKKLESIA, as a couple of people have recently suggested, then some
other term needs to be used which captures both the local and global
aspects of the body of Christ.  Am I mistaken in my understanding that
the NT speaks of the EKKLESIA on both levels?  Perhaps "assembly" or
"congregation" are fine, in spite of my feeling that they seem to have a
decidedly local flavor to them.  

Best.

Dr. Theodore "Ted" Mann
thmann at juno.com
http://www.homestead.com/eIXQUS/index.html
http://www.homestead.com/eLOGOS/index.html
http://www.homestead.com/ChristianResourcesLinks/index.html



On Mon, 26 Jul 1999 16:33:12 -0500 "Mitchell Gray" <shavedice at itexas.net>
writes:
>> From: Theodore H Mann <thmann at juno.com>
>
>> B-Greekers:
>> 
>> It seems to me that a problem with terms such as "assembly" or
>> "congregation," as translations of EKKLESIA, is that it is difficult 
>to
>> use them effectively in reference to the global body of Christ, 
>unless
>> one wishes to apply hyphenations (e.g., "universal-congregation").  
>Such
>> (un-hyphenated) terms somehow seem more applicable to local or 
>regional
>> gatherings.  Although "church" may not be a great translation of
>> EKKLESIA, it does at least seem to be equally functional in 
>reference to
>> the body of Christ in its totality, as well as at the local or 
>regional
>> levels.  While it is true that "church" is often applied to the 
>building
>> in which Christians meet, or even to the meeting itself ("I'm going 
>to
>> church"), my experience is that most Christians (evangelicals, 
>anyway)
>> understand the difference.  I'm all for finding a better translation 
>of
>> EKKLESIA than "church," if one is available, but I doubt that 
>"assembly"
>> or "congregation" will suffice.
>> 
>> Dr. Theodore "Ted" Mann
>
>We just say "I'm going to the meeting."  So, it still works for 
>"assembly"
>or "congregation."
>
>Best,
>Mitchell Gray
>
>
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