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吳國安

撮要

本文檢視加爾文及荷蘭、美國、蘇格蘭幾位近代改革宗神學家對長老職分的論述，聚焦其訴諸的神學理據，追溯其間的延續和發展。以上述考察為基礎，本文對華人教會中長老職分相關議題作出評估和建議，並提出兩個主張：第一，改革宗神學中，長老職分的神學理據主要在於基督的三重職分，亦能在聖約式的教會論中找到一席之地。這表示長老職分不只具（外在）功能性，也有（內在）神學理據；我們對其的理解和談論應該兩者兼備。第二，作為一附帶結果，本文也顯示改革宗神學內部的豐富和多樣性。

ABSTRACT

This article examines Calvin’s discourse on eldership, as well as those registered by some Reformed theologians from the Netherlands, the U.S. and Scotland in the past 150 years. A focus is placed on how eldership is theologically grounded and how it has been developed and expressed in these discussions. This article also evaluates discussions related to eldership found in contemporary ethnic Chinese churches and accordingly makes the following two claims. Firstly, in the Reformed tradition eldership is theologically well-grounded primarily in the munus triplex Christi and is also rooted in a covenantal ecclesiology, which means (among other things) that for all its external functionality discourse on eldership should be based on its internal theological reasoning. Secondly, as a related outcome, this article provides an example in which the Reformed theology is shown to be richer and more diverse than is often presented and understood.

原載於《建道學刊》40期（2013年7月），頁55-82。