Sincetheapostolicage,Christianchurcheshaveseenaconstantdialecticbetweeninspirationandinstitution:howtheungovernedspontaneityofSpirit-ledreligionnegotiatesitswaythroughlaws,structuresandcommunities.Ifinstitutionalframeworksareabsentorinsufficient,new,creativeanddynamicexpressionsofChristianitycandisappearorcollapseintodisorderalmostasquicklyastheyhaveflaredup.Ifthoseframeworksareexcessivelyrigidorpunitive,theycanoftenquenchthespiritofanynewmovements.ThisvolumeexplorestheinterplaybetweeninspirationalmovementsandinstitutionalstructuresthroughoutChristianity’shistory,examininghowtheparadoxofinspirationandinstitutionhasbeennegotiatedfromtheancientworldtothemodernera,tracinghowdifferentChristianmovementshavestriventoholdthesetwovitalaspectsoftheirfaithtogether,oftenfindingcreativeorunexpectedwaystoinstitutionalizeinspirationortobreathenewlifeintotheirinstitutions.
INSPIRATION VOLUME new HISTORY
