Set apart: free church polity and the isolation of pastors

Thomas Gregory Turner

Etd

Set apart: free church polity and the isolation of pastors

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Thomas Gregory Turner. Set Apart: Free Church Polity and the Isolation of Pastors. Andover Newton Theological School. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a7b158af-0ca6-42ee-a578-4cb19c03c934.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

T. G. Turner. Set apart: free church polity and the isolation of pastors. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a7b158af-0ca6-42ee-a578-4cb19c03c934

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Thomas Gregory Turner. Set Apart: Free Church Polity and the Isolation of Pastors. Andover Newton Theological School. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a7b158af-0ca6-42ee-a578-4cb19c03c934.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Thomas Gregory Turner

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Abstract

This project uses the author's experience in pastoral ministry, questionnaires and telephone interviews from judicatory ministers in the United Church of Christ, pastoral supervision and library research to test the assumption that there is widespread isolation of pastors in the UCC. Working within a Free Church polity, it then suggests there is much the church can to do connect its pastors to the lines of support, authorization and accountability they need for healthier ministry. Its six chapters offer: 1. an introduction on the need to think in expanded terms about our connections; 2. a definition and description of pastoral isolation; 3. a history of the principle of autonomy and its misunderstanding; 4. an analysis of individualism and social virtue, and the personal and communal power needed to balance them; 5. a covenantal ecclesiology upon which to base its recommendations; and 6. a church-wide plan to provide the connecting elements required, the hallmark of which is a thorough recasting of the role and structure of UCC Associations. The study concludes with an Epilogue on how things get done in the UCC.

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