The Congregation as Hermeneutic of the Gospel

Lesslie Newbigin's concept of the congregation as hermeneutic of the gospel has been used for over thirty years to discuss the overlap of mission and ecclesiology. This book provides the contextual background to the congregation as hermeneutic of the gospel, then discusses the important components of this concept and how they connect with Newbigin's lifetime of writings on the nature and identity of the church. Within this discussion, there are three key elements to Newbigin's ecclesiology as it pertains to the congregation as hermeneutic of the gospel: the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the local congregation, the kingdom of God and the local congregation, and the local congregation within itself. These three components can be found throughout Newbigin's discussions about the nature of the church ranging from the 1940s until the 1990s. Pulling all these components together and showing how they shed light on Newbigin's intended meaning by calling the local congregation the hermeneutic of the gospel for their society provides a new interpretation of this concept that will both strengthen and challenge contemporary uses of this concept within the church today.