CHAPTER 1 Biblical Foundations INTRODUCTION Reference to foundations implies the construct of something beyond.) less true for theological constructs as itis for architectural ones. The ultimate aim of this study isto construct the foundations of an ecumenical ecclesiology of communion based on the concept and language of Koinonia. We expose ex- isting language and craft new language. Achievement of this end requires sel- ting in place many ecumenical building blocks. As the builder in New Testa- ‘ment stories must plan before beginning construction, this chapter is 2 preliminary phase of our construction.‘ Before consideration can be given to our ecumenical question per se, it is necessary to establish its foundations, Hence, this study opens with biblical and ecclesiological foundations of Koinonia. Based on their fundamental characteristics, we seck to engage in an ecumenical hermeneutic based on the incorporation of the biblical under. standing of koinonia language into ec l eeclesiological discourse that would craft new terms in the koindn- 1: Thereby offering freshness to the language of koinonia, service will be rendered towards the churches’ recep- tion of an ecumenical ecclesiology of communion.? 2. See Lk 648; 1 Cor 3 2. The concept of ret study we use the tem in its common ecumenical understanding, Aco in Patt V, “The modern ecumenical G.R Evans, The Recepion of te Faith: Reinterpreiing the Gospel for Today, London SPCK, 1997, pp16517. Emansel Sulivan offers theology of reception in “Reception of Lex,KOINONIA AND THE QUEST FOR AN ECUMENICAL ECCLESIOLOGY Gi -n the growing convergences within Christianity fostered by the ary, social, liturgical and biblical movements of the last century, the smporary ecumenical movement looks to the con foots of Charis tianity to ground its search for the unity of the church.” In light of such movernents, there is common acknowledgement of the role played by scrip- the crafting of the language about the church and ical language has been a foundational tool in the field Biblical Foundations of ccumenism. With the intention to free its endeavours from the trappings set by the polemical language of the past, the ecumenical movement finds in the biblical word a rootedness in the tradition which is free of encumbrance by terminology associated with Christian disunity throughout the ages.? One concept is Kowevia, commonly translated into Latin as ‘and into English as ‘communion’ or ‘fellowship’® Grounding the ‘gy of communion are the bi The shape of our expos fold. We begin withthe etymology of Koinonia and ts related term and from there move toa theological reflection on the concept in terms of relation. What follows, then, is an ecumenical look at the concept of xorvusvi. in the New Tes- tament,’ Therein lies the foundation upon which the concept has been received ‘on the concept of Koinonia. In tan- sonia in Sripture & Survey of BiblicalKOINONIA AND THE QUEST FOR AN ECUMENICAL EOCLESIOLOGY to make a fall to present the biblical foundations of koinonia as the grounding for ecumenical discourse on To do this we draw on the scholarship done in focus on exegetes whose work has served ect- ‘menical studies. We synthesise this work, looking at it through an ecumenical Jens. ‘These findings are the scriptural base which establishes and unfolds the double entendre of Koinonia: koinonia has foundations and koinonia is founda ‘ional for understanding the church, its faith and its unity. Getting a grasp on this double meaning is intrinsic to our project's approach towards the realisa- tion and reception of an ecumenical, ecclesiology of com Tt is at the heart of symbolic competence for communionality, our expression for the way towards this logy, whose meaning will gradually come to light as our study proceeds, I. ETYMOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS terminology, koindn- words.° The noun It carries the overarching meanings of ‘associ- scholarship classifies orevicris one such deri szentment of he ‘Testament’, Rel 24 (1981) 209-15. Relying heavily on Panikelam, se synopsis of the recent scholarship done on the biblical concept of koinonia '8. As already noted, this has been done by Panikulam, Koinonia in the NT and by Reumatiay “Koinonia in Scripture” in Santiag, pp. 37-69. “Koinonia in Seriptue” in Santiago, p. 40. ‘Koinonia in in the New Biblical Foundations ation, ‘communion’ ‘fellowship’ and “close relationship"? Its verbal form is ‘owvevées, which means ‘to share, ‘to have a share, ‘to participate, ‘to give or contribute a share; ‘to put together’## Numerous related terms are derived from the Kotvicv root, the most significant of which for ecumenical consideration are ‘the noun xowevi, the verb Korver, the adjective Korev6 and the adjective xoiwiovnn6s, From these are formed many Korvisy-cognates, including words in in the Hellenistic world."* Nor was it part of Jesus’ vocabulary. It enters the religious sphere with Christian ‘with Greck culture, with 1 Corinthians being the first Christian text in which the word appears."? Once it enters the Christian sphere, the concept is per- ceived as fundamental to the understanding of the church. Our examination of some New Testament passages Although intrinsic to the church, the word xowevta éxxknofa. in the New Testament. Rather, koinonia is descriptive of the quali- tative dimensions of the church in the New Testament. Also important for our reflection is the fact that throughout the New Testament the idea of koinonia, like that of church, is present even in the absence of the word or its cognates." It is implicit in the writers’ use of words like covenant, unity, participation, sharing, and in images like vine, temple, body of Christ, spouse, It is associated with other thematic words such as righteousness, jus- , covenant, temple, 12. A Greck- English Lexicon ofthe New Testament anu Other Early Ch translation and adaptation of the fourth revived and augmented edition of ech Das Worbch ev den Sif des Neuen Testaments ddr sgn 1 Literatur by Wiliam B.rndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich (Second Edition Revised and egret ‘by E Wilbur Gingrich and Frederick W. Danker from Walter Bauer's Pith Edition, iy of Chigo Fe sm hs ook ca Amt “Koinonis in Serptace”in Sentaga Bp. 42-44 26, For example, Peniklam makes one noi of this in reference tox Corinthians when he cites EB, Allo comietion that even though "the term koindra de it serves a « central theme to the point that Allo calls tthe idée YEptire™ Panikulam, Koindnia in he NT, p.9; footnote 6 within the quot “E.B Allo, Premitreéptre aux Corinthiens (Paris 1934) 5”