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    Exploring issues relevant to the diaconal ministry in the UCA #2

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    I Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]Marion Gledhill, Theological Issues on “Diakonia ” in today’s
    Australian society[...]Vicky Balabanski. Bible Studies for the World DIAKONIA conference
    in July 2001: “Hearts[...]38


    1
    i
    5. Bev Fabb World DIAKONIA Assembly 2001: Closing Sermon[...]centre with asylum seekers.


    6. World DIAKONIA Assembly 2001: Credal Statement[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]Marion has written Theological Reflections on “Diakonia” in today’s Australian society
    was written to[...]er sections of this edition come out of the World DIAKONIA Assembly
    Conference held in Brisbane in Ju[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]number 7, 2001

    Theological Reflections on diakonia in today's Australian society.[...]n Gledhill

    Outline
    1. The meaning of the term diakonia (“service”) in the New Testament.
    1 .i Diakonia in the New Testament
    l.ii ‘Service’ in[...]oncept of service/servanthood.

    3. Theology of diakonia.

    4. Ministry and diakonia.

    5. How can my understanding of diakonia assist in reflection on an appropriate
    expr[...]tralia today.
    5.iv. Local congregations and diakonia.

    6. What, if anything, is distinctive about t[...]y and
    practically the meaning and implications of diakonia (“service”) for expression of
    Christian servi[...]ve from an exploration of the meaning of the term diakonia
    (“service”) in the New Testament and in recen[...]ist in reflection on an appropriate expression of
    diakonia (“service”) by the church in today’s Australian welfare state.

    1. The meaning of the term diakonia ("service") in the NT.

    l.i Diakonia in the New Testament
    The first understanding that confronted me in my exploration of this theme was that
    diakonia does not have the single definition of “service[...]linguistic study into meanings of the word-group diakonia for
    the early Christians.1 Until I considered Col[...]nce to Christ’s service of

    1 Collins, John N.: Diakonia: Reinterpreting the ancient sources, New Y[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]l or waiting at table.......In
    the case of diakonia a technical use emerges, which we may call the ge[...]specialised technical use of diakonein and diakonia to denote the practical
    service of those w[...]e.2

    Collins claims that such an understanding of diakonia derives from the work of Wilhelm
    Brandt (1913) and H.W.Beyer (1931),3 who narrowly defined diakonia as ‘active Christian
    love for the neighbour’.[...]y no means
    of one mind as to what this service or diakonia consisted in. He reviews other usages of the
    term[...]becoming
    more broadly informed about the uses of diakonia words in Greek at large. Collins
    identifies from these sources that the word diakonia has the following connotations:

    •[...]tian usages. He examines Paul’s use of the word diakonia, and
    recognises affinities between Paul’s usage[...]is sent on behalf of another, with the word-group diakonia. He does not discard
    the use of the term as refer[...]of the go-between, Collins rejects the idea that
    diakonia speaks of an attitude of ‘humble activity’ or[...]as to its usefulness for modem understandings of diakonia. Barnett, writing
    about the diaconate, states “[...]the character of the diaconate and the
    meaning of diakonia in the early church, word studies such as that by Collins may offer

    2 Cranfield, C.E.B.: “Diakonia in the New Testament”, in McCord, James I. and[...]itain: Epworth Press, 1966, pp.37-
    39.
    3 Collins, Diakonia, pp.47-52.[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]h as Blyth and Robins5, use the three meanings of diakonia
    as identified by Collins, that of a go-between, a[...]k offers breadth and depth to my
    understanding of diakonia, which I will explore further in this essay.

    l.i[...]ristian and
    non-Christian sources for meanings of diakonia, another approach to a New Testament
    study of thi[...]she discusses New Testament meanings of the term
    diakonia, which she understands as meaning both to wait at[...]o Compassion: An exploration of women, gender
    and diakonia, Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1998.
    6 Carte[...]implications for Diaconal
    Ministry In the U.C.A., Diakonia UCA, Occasional Papers, Vol. 1, Oct., 1993[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]in Greinacher, Norbert and Mette, Norbert (eds):
    Diakonia: Church for Others, Concilium 198, Edinbur[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]r’s brings together Collins’ understanding of diakonia as
    agency, referring to one who is sent, with the[...]lins’ work has strengthened my understanding of diakonia by pointing to its meaning as
    being sent by God, just as Jesus was sent by God. The ministry of diakonia is thus a
    commission from God to the church — i[...]dentified also the connotations in the word-group diakonia of a ‘go-between’ and an
    ‘agent’. These o[...]ew understanding of the basis for the ministry of diakonia. It is a
    commission from God to be the agency of[...]ing in places of conflict.

    However, the sense of diakonia as one who serves and who rejects status seeking[...]rom this New Testament study, my understanding of diakoniaDiakonia"’, in Greinacher, Norbert and Mette, Norbert (eds): Diakonia: Church for Others, Concilium
    198, Edinb[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]e latter part of this essay.

    3. Theology of diakonia.
    Graeme Ferguson discusses elements in a theology of diakonia.29 I will summarise
    Ferguson’s theology[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]of Churches (WCC) approved eleven
    guidelines for diakonia, which had been developed by their Unit on Sharin[...]e included them in this section on ‘theology of diakonia' as I
    see them as a practical expression of the WCC’s theology of diakonia as service of fellow
    human beings in the name of God.

    Diakonia, according to the WCC guidelines:

    a) p[...], for the WCC, further developed this theology of diakonia
    as they drew on conversations between women from around the world in order to consider
    women, gender and diakonia, in relation to these guidelines.34 Blyth and Robins explored
    diakoniadiakonia that emerged from
    the study, their book offers a[...]w
    understanding of the deeper, holistic nature of diakonia embraces the concepts of ‘service
    through hospi[...]d the eleven guidelines as follows:

    a) Diakonia overcomes subordination of people
    b) Diakonia is mutual because it expresses our common and diverse needs
    c) Diakonia leads us to create a pathway along which we can walk together
    d) Diakonia empowers and dignifies people to know and express[...]o Compassion: An exploration of women, gender and diakonia.[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]number 7, 2001

    e) Diakonia acknowledges each community’s God-given right to self-
    determination
    f) Diakonia challenges injustice in a holistic way through immediate and long­
    term actions
    g) Diakonia preserves and shares the resources which sustain life
    h) Diakonia nurtures and sustains communities in the place of marginalisation and
    exclusion
    i) Diakonia acknowledges the inevitable risks, in restoring c[...]ask, concede, compromise, lose etc.
    j) Diakonia encourages us to be conscious of the contradictio[...]enges us towards a deeper integrity
    k) Diakonia expresses God’s unlimited compassion, without a[...]on which builds on a
    theological understanding of diakonia, such as that offered by Ferguson.

    The importance of justice in concepts of diakonia and of service has been emphasised by
    many writer[...]gy.36

    I venture to state that my own theology of diakonia is based in the Trinitarian understanding
    express[...]lf-determination and
    empowerment are vital in how diakonia is expressed.

    4. Ministry and diakonia
    A draft working paper from the World Federation of DIAKONIA
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]amental identity as
    representational signs of the diakonia of Christ and his Church.”43

    Collins disagrees[...]God’.45

    Following on from the understanding of diakonia discussed earlier in this essay, my
    perception is[...]hurch members.

    5. How can my understanding of diakonia assist in reflection on an
    appropriate expression of diakonia/'service' by the church in today's
    Australi[...]ier times was seen as the

    37 World Federation of DIAKONIADiakonia, p.258.
    45 WCC, Baptism, Eucharist and Min[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]te.
    In reflecting on an appropriate expression of diakonia/1 service’ by church social welfare
    agencies in[...]peace and
    justice.

    The 1988 issue of Concilium, Diakonia: Church for Others50 includes three articles which
    discuss the church’s expression of diakonia in Germany’s welfare state. Degen, from the
    Eva[...]ial resources, enables
    the church to carry on its diakonia, thus making a major contribution towards enablin[...]the fundamental responsibility
    of the parish for diakonia at the local level, Degen believes that church ag[...]fairs.
    Fuchs, however, deplores the fact that the diakonia of the German Catholic Church has been
    made over[...]50 Greinacher, Norbert and Mette, Norbert (eds): Diakonia: Church for Others, Concilium 198,
    Edinburgh, T&T Clark, 1988.
    51 Degen, Johannes: “Diakonia as an Agency in the Welfare State”, in Greinacher, Norbert and Mette,
    Norbert (eds): Diakonia: Church for Others, Concilium 198, Edinburgh, T&T[...]in Greinacher, Norbert and Mette, Norbert (eds): Diakonia: Church
    for Others, Concilium 198, Edinbur[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]7, 2001

    Steinkamp offers a comparative study of diakonia in the church of the rich (West
    Germany), and th[...]ilemma of the
    ‘churches of the rich’ and its diakonia does not consist of its not doing sufficient cari[...]inkamp proceeds to discuss characteristics of the diakonia of the church in Brazil. He
    identifies three aspects which distinguish the nature of this diakonia from that of the rich
    churches. These are:[...]r.
    c) Koinonia as the original form of diakonia: the base communities. Base
    communi[...]functions of preaching, worship and diakonia. They have re-discovered the
    primac[...]SW, where he addressed

    Steinkamp, Hermann: “Diakonia in the Church of the Rich and the Church of the P[...]in Greinacher, Norbert and Mette, Norbert (eds): Diakonia: Church for
    Others, Concilium 198, Edinbur[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]change to
    more appropriate forms of diakonia as witness to the Gospel. Institutional[...]in order to move on.
    • Expression of diakonia is a function of congregations. Wherever church s[...]church is being called today in its expression of diakonia. These are
    not easily expressed by o[...]are ideally placed for this form of
    diakonia.

    S.iii. Some specific issues about the ro[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]es, I return to my understanding of the nature of diakonia as
    discussed earlier. I recall Ferguson’s state[...]el.”60 I wrote (p.7) that “my own theology of diakonia is based in the Trinitarian
    understanding... [whe[...]lf-determination and
    empowerment are vital in how diakonia is expressed.”

    It is this understanding of the essential nature of diakonia that I apply to these issues about
    the role and p[...]demonstrate how this particular understanding of
    diakonia can assist in reflection on an appropriate expression of diakonia!‘service’ by the
    church in today’s A[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]the Gospel.

    5.iv. Local congregations and diakonia.
    I believe the understanding of diakonia that I have been discussing in this essay can be[...]in Greinacher, Norbert and Mette, Norbert (eds): Diakonia: Church for Others, Concilium 198,
    Edinbur[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]in community work at
    the local level. For Burke, diakonia is the key concept, which he defines as “..esse[...]inistry and mission within the hurtian community. Diakonia is both a matter of
    compassionate service and th[...]ishes are
    to be true to the broader dimensions of diakonia - caring services for individuals, the
    developmen[...]ngregations who seriously desire to be engaged in
    diakonia.

    As I wrote earlier, mutuality, solidarity and c[...]church is being called today in its expression of diakonia. Advocacy for justice
    is equally as necessary, an[...]congregations are ideally
    placed for this form of diakonia.

    6. What, if anything, is distinctive[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]ready noted, from the work of
    John Collins, that diakonia can also be understood as the task of one who is[...]er to ensure that each component -
    evangelism and diakonia - maintains its integrity as authentic expression[...]the whole church may rediscover its commission to diakonia - to offer
    witness to the Gospel through s[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]°Church=s Me“ninS md NaUn °f Diakonia’ °™=va: World Council of
    Edtatargh’-mfSark[...]De^n^r!?61"1' “‘¥ak7g Earth into Heaven’: Diakonia in the Early Church”
    FinSn ;nJ mnn£K Vu[...]a
    Reflection on Diakonia” g lable ’ A Cntlca[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]ress, 1966. (Includes Cranfield, C.E.B.:
    “Diakonia in the New Testament”)
    McKee, Elsie Anne: Diakonia in the Classical Reformed Tradition and Today, Gr[...]ations for
    Diaconal Ministry In the U.C.A., Diakonia UCA, Occasional Papers, Vol. 1, Oct., 1993.
    Milne[...]Ministry,
    Geneva, 1982.
    World Federation of DIAKONIA, Draft Working Paper for Discussion, 1997-[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]of Timothy (1 Tim. 3:8,10).
    John N. Collins, Diakonia: re-interpreting the ancient sources, (New York:[...]ted faculty of Theology, 2000.) p. 3-4.
    ^Collins, Diakonia: re-interpreting the ancient sources: p. 8[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    I
    r Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]shville: Abingdon Press. 1993.
    Collins, J.N., Diakonia: re-interpreting the ancient sources. New[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]following studies given at the World Assembly of DIAKONIA in Brisbane, 2001, were
    the fruit of collaboratio[...]ersity of contexts in which those
    associated with DIAKONIA work, and the need to somehow allow the st[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]g engaged in God's ministry, God's service, God's
    diakonia, that he can't and won't succumb to despai[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]e he was least looking of it, in the service, the diakonia, of Jesus
    Christ. Or perhaps we might[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]number 7, 2001

    WORLD DIAKONIA ASSEMBLY 2001[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]ew the church
    around the world with the spirit of diakonia.

    Look around you and see who is bearing t[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers[...]DAL STATEMENT
    18TH WORLD DIAKONIA ASSEMBLY

    We[...]
    Diakonia Occasional Papers number 7, 2001

    Contact people for Diakonia in
    your stat[...]

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