Towards a Biblically Faithful Operative Theology with Regards to Godly Wisdom at Worcester Christian Church

Abstract

This study overviews Godly wisdom as outlined by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1-2, and correlates it with the practices of Worcester Christian Church. The intention of the study is to show how greater Biblical faithfulness may be achieved in praxis in this congregation with regard to Godly wisdom. The objective of the research can be stated as the formulation of a theologically-informed strategic plan to show how the Worcester Christian Church may be helped in regards to improving their praxis of Godly wisdom. To this end the study employs a mixed-method empirical research method to adequately interpret the church's current operative theology and compare it with a study of Paul's ideas in 1 Corinthians 1-2 with brief attention to a few other verses and a systematic theology perspective. This culminates in practical suggestions for improving the church's current praxis that more faithfully reflects Godly wisdom. The study found that Worcester Christian Church to a large degree adhered to a practical outworking of Godly wisdom as taught and applied by the Apostle Paul. The primary deficiency that was identified was an implicit anti-intellectual tendency amongst congregants and a dichotomous dualism between natural and spiritual methods of knowledge acquisition. Based on the works of Christian Schwarz, and his model of 'radical Christian balance', various practical and liturgical suggestions are made to show how this imbalance may be corrected and to erase the dichotomy. The desired end is a practice of a more holistic Godly wisdom, similar to that presented and espoused by Paul himself.