Defining Sodality and Modality in Christianity

According to Ralph Winter, a modality is a, "structured fellowship in which there is no distinction of sex or age." (Winter, 247) A sodality however is a, "structured fellowship in which membership involves an adult second decision beyond modality membership, and is limited by either age or sex or marital status." (Winter, 247) The New Testament churches have comprised a collection of modalities that clearly demonstrate the value of the modality structure through the epistles demonstrating it, but sodalities are likely the cause of the church as modalities since all the twelve disciples of Jesus had all been men organized around Jesus that later developed the early church after his death.

Paul the Apostle of Christ makes clear that women have a special mission from God different from men that is as important as to hallmark their salvation, thus, "...women will be saved through childbearing-if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety." 1 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) The fact thus that women and men differ in mission by design requires sodalities to exist to specialize spiritual development, and the concept of the value of sodalities has been more than proven in history as monks for example have become powerful missionaries, and men of God, through this structure with even, "Hilda the abbess of Whitby in England, training future bishops." (Moreau, 104) Winter drives home the value of sodalities with the words, "...many pastors today derive from Campus Crusade or Inter Varsity...", and Winter says this while remarking upon the value of Augustine and Gregory the Great being products of 'monastic houses'. (Winter, 248)

Biblography:

Moreau, A., G.R. Corwin, and G.B. McGeeStott. "Introducing World Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey." Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009.

Winter, Ralph. "The Two Structures of God's Redemptive Mission." In Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader, 4th edition ed. Ralph D. Winter and Steven Hawthorne, 245-53. Pasadena, California: Paternoster Press, 1981.