The History of the Diaconate (1): Its Institution

A historical survey of the office of the diaconate will demonstrate that the fundamental work of the deacon is to care for the church's poor and that the proper functioning of the office has been neglected since its institution. Demonstrating this will set the stage for a more thorough discussion of the nature and work of the office. In this article we begin such a survey by examining the institution of the office in the early New Testament church. The diaconate as we know it today was...