Towards Understanding of the Practice of Proclamation: The Core Element of Russian Baptist Worship, Timofey Cheprasov, 2015

lishing Co., 1999) pp 168-180; and her critique of Wink’s reductionist view of the role of Christ in the defeat of the fallen powers, see Marva Dawn, Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacle of God (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2001), p 18. 175 For Yoder the concept of power does not hold immediately negative connotations, if anything, power is inseparable from the person of Christ. Referring to the passage in Paul’s letter to Colossians 1:15-17," Yoder argues that in Christ ‘everything “systematizes,” everything holds together. This “everything” that Christ maintains united is the world powers. It is the reign of order among creatures, order which in its original 750 intention is a divine gift.’” So in the first place the powers were part of God’s good creation and despite their fall they are still needed. Thus, he concludes that even in this fallen and rebellious state the working of the Powers is not simply something limitlessly evil. The Powers, despite their fallenness, continue to exercise an ordering function... The law (which according to Gal. 4:5 prevents us from attaining to filial maturity) is nevertheless righteous and good and we should obey it.” Following Berkhof, Yoder concludes the overwhelming broadness of the concept of powers, since it includes religious, social, and political structures. Wink develops the scale of the concept by further arguing that powers are not ‘some kind of invisible demonic beings flapping around in the sky, occasionally targeting some luckless mortal with their invisible payload of disease, lust, possession or death.’ Instead they need to be seen as the inner and outer aspects of any given manifestation of power. As the inner hi aspects they are the spirituality of institutions, the “within” of corporate structures and systems, the inner essence of outer organizations of power. As the outer aspect they are political systems, appointed officials, the “chair” of an organization, laws — in short, all the tangible manifestations which power “° Colossians 1:15-17: ‘He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in Him were created all things, those in heaven and those on earth, visible and invisible; whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all was created through him and by him. And He is before all things, and all things subsist in Him.’ °° Yoder, Politics of Jesus, pp 140-141. > Ibid., p 141. °2 Walter Wink, Naming the Power: The Language of Power in the New Testament (Philadelphia, Fortress Press, 1984), p 4. 176 takes. Every Power tends to have a visible pole, an outer form — be it a church, a nation, or economy — and an invisible pole, an inner spirit or driving force that animates, legitimates, and regulates its physical manifestation in the world. Neither pole is the cause of the other. Both come into existence together and cease to exist together.”* This complex and broad understandi