The Church Faces Death: Ecclesiology in a Post-Modern ContextEcclesiology (the theology of the church) is a neglected topic in contemporary theology. At a time when the institutional churches are experiencing dramatic decline, says Michael Jinkins, we need a new understanding of what the church is. In this work, Jinkins challenges the church to rediscover its vocation, to follow Jesus Christ even at the risk of its institutional survival. In the face of a variety of perceived threats to its future, he reminds us that the church is most alive and attractive when it forgets about itself and its safety. The ecclesiology Jinkins puts forward is born from a sense of "life in Christ" that can, he argues, face institutional death to recover a remarkable freedom. Without detailing the face of the future church, he asserts his faith that there is indeed life after death for the church as the worshipping body of Christ. |
Contents
Introduction | 3 |
The Church Faces Death Ecclesiology in Search of Identity and Responsibility | 8 |
Describing Church Ecclesiology in Semiotic Dialogue | 33 |
Taxonomies Paradox Plurality and the Enduring Genius of Church | 50 |
Speaking of Church What Does It Mean When We Use the Word Church? | 69 |
Confessions A Preface to Ecclesiology | 85 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abingdon Press ambiguous American attempt baptism biblical Body of Christ Bonhoeffer Chopp Christ and Culture Christian communities Christian faith Christology Church Faces Death claim communion communities of faith congregational context creation decline Derrida Dietrich Bonhoeffer discern divine Dogmatics Dulles ecclesial ecclesiology Eerdmans essay Evangelical existence flesh Fortress Press freedom G. K. Chesterton God's gospel Grand Rapids Havel Henry Hardy Hermeneutics historical holy human Ibid identity images incarnation Jesus Christ Jinkins John Calvin John of Damascus Jüngel Karl Barth Knox Press Levinas live Louisville Mead Mead's means membership ministry Niebuhr onomies Oxford paradigm paradox participate particular Paul plurality Presbyterian Church U.S.A. Protestant Protestantism reality Reinhold Niebuhr relationship Religion responsibility Roland Barthes Romans sacrament Scripture Seminary sense singularity social speech Spirit taxonomy theological reflection Theology tion tradition ture understanding United Methodist University Press Westminster/John Knox William Stringfellow worship writes York
References to this book
Risking the Church:The Challenges of Catholic Faith: The Challenges of ... Richard Lennan No preview available - 2004 |