Biblical and Theological Evaluation of Donald G. Bloesch’s View on the Communion of Saints

Abstract

Communion of saints is a doctrinal view which asserts that there is communication between living believers and saints in heaven. Writing on this view, Donald G. Bloesch asserts that the mediation of Jesus Christ enhances the communion of saints. Bloesch’s view raises some theological concerns. First, how does the mediation of Jesus Christ enable the saints on earth to have communion with those in heaven? Second, how does his view differ from spiritualism and African traditional worldview of spiritism? Third, if the communion is enhanced by the mediation of Jesus Christ, how does this mediation affect the unity of believers in the body of Christ? This research followed a methodology that involves four steps covered in chapter two to chapter five. 1) Biblical etymological study of the terms “communion” and “saints” The etymological study aimed to find out the meaning and the uses of the terms “communion” and “saints’ in both the Old and the New Testaments; 2) Historical-theological investigation of the concept of the communion of saints; 3) Investigation of Bloesch’s theological background; examination of Bloesch’s theological method; examination of Bloesch’s interpretation, theological, and exegetical study of passages that Bloesch uses to establish his view of the communion of saints; and 4) Biblical and theological evaluation of Bloesch’s views. Findings show that Bloesch’s view of the communion of saints does not describe how mediation of Jesus Christ enables the saints on earth to have communion with those in heaven. Since his view has no scriptural evidence, it is difficult to differentiate it from modern spiritualism and spiritism in African traditional worldview. Furthermore, Analysis of biblical passages unveils that Bloesch misinterpret the passages; thus, his view affects the biblical view of unity in the body of Christ that focus on living believers only. Hence, this dissertation submits that the doctrine of the communion of saints is acceptable only when it focuses on living believers on earth. The study recommends that a phrase that insists on the unity of living believers only may be added to the Seventh-day Adventist fundamental belief number fourteen (14). Further studies may focus on the relationship between Bloesch’s view of divine revelation with the biblical text (1 Cor 2:14) which considers that spiritual things are spiritually discerned, and Bloesch’s view of the struggling triumphant church in heaven in relation to the view of the cosmic controversy.