The Church: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology)
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
The word church evokes different thoughts from different people—some think of a group of people who meet together on Sunday mornings; some think of a building; and others think of a bigger, global movement. In this installment of the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series, Gregg Allison offers an overview of specific doctrines and practices of different churches and denominations as each finds its unique expression through its identity, leadership, government, sacraments, ministries, and future. For each of these topics, Allison lays out the common practice among local church communities (“mere ecclesiology”) and examines how they diverge from one another in their expression (“more ecclesiology”). Through this systematic primer, readers will come away knowing not only how various churches differ, but also how they’re ultimately united as the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit.
- Offers clarity on what the church is and how it is to engage in the world
- Explores the principle tenets of church polity held by most churches throughout history
- Addresses common areas where churches disagree
- Introduction
- We Know the Church
- “Mere” and “More” Ecclesiology
Part 1: Foundational Issues
- Section 1: The Triune God and the Church
- Section 2: The Church according to Scripture
Part 2: “Mere” and “More” Ecclesiology
- Section 1: The Identity of the Church
- Section 2: The Leadership of the Church
- Section 3: The Government of the Church
- Section 4: The Ordinances/Sacraments of the Church
- Section 5: The Ministries of the Church
- Section 6: The Future of the Church
- Conclusion
- Title: The Church: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology)
- Author: Gregg R. Allison
- Series: Short Studies in Systematic Theology
- Publisher: Crossway
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2021
- Pages: 181
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Church
- ISBNs: 9781433562464, 9781433562495, 9781433562471, 9781433562488, 1433562464, 1433562499, 1433562472, 1433562480, 1646898850, 9781646898855
- Resource ID: LLS:CHURCHINTRO
- Resource Type: Systematic Theology
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-13T19:28:35Z
Dr. Gregg R. Allison comes to Southern from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, where he had taught theology and church history for nine years. He has also served as adjunct faculty at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL; Elgin Community College, Elgin, IL; Judson College, Elgin, IL; and Institute of Biblical Studies, Western Europe. Dr. Allison has 18 years of ministry experience as a staff member of Campus Crusade, where he worked in campus ministry as well as a missionary to Italy and Switzerland. He also co-pastored a church in Lugano, Switzerland. He is author of Getting Deep: Understand What You Believe About God and Why and Jesusology: Understand What You Believe About Jesus and Why, and he has five articles in The Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions. He is currently the book review editor for theological, historical, and philosophical studies, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, a position in which he has served for the last seven years. Dr. Allison is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society in which he serves on the editorial and membership committees and regularly presents papers at its national meetings.