An Introduction to Ecclesiology: Historical, Global, and Interreligious Perspectives

Product Description
What is the church? Why are there so many different expressions of church throughout time and space, and what ties them all together? Ecclesiology―the doctrine of the church―has risen to the center of theological interest in recent decades. In this text, theologian Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen provides a wide-ranging survey of the rich field of ecclesiology in the midst of rapid developments and new horizons. Drawing on Kärkkäinen's international experience and comprehensive research on the church, this revised and expanded edition is thoroughly updated to incorporate recent literature and trends. This unique primer not only orients readers to biblical, historical, and contemporary ecclesiologies but also highlights contextual and global perspectives and includes an entirely new section on interfaith comparative theology. An Introduction to Ecclesiology surveys
major theological traditions, including Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Reformed, and Pentecostal
ecclesiological insights from Latin American, Africa, and Asia
distinct perspectives from women, African Americans, and recent trends in the United States
key elements of the church such as mission, governance, worship, and sacraments
interreligious comparison with Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist communities
As the church today encounters challenges and opportunities related to rapid growth in the Majority World, new congregational forms, ecumenical movements, interfaith relations, and more, Christians need a robust ecclesiology that makes room for both unity and diversity. In An Introduction to Ecclesiology students, pastors, and laypeople will find an essential resource for understanding how the church can live out its calling as Christ's community on earth.
Review
"Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen presents us with an astute historical and global summary of ecclesial traditions and contemporary trends, shaping the plight of the church's mission today in this illuminating revised and expanded edition of An Introduction to Ecclesiology. Interreligious understandings of the church are essential in our ever-diversifying climate, and Kärkkäinen offers his significant perspective on its importance for us today. This updated book is a challenging book, as the church navigates through new territories and a changing global landscape." -- Grace Ji-Sun Kim, professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion, author of Reimagining Spirit and Keeping Hope Alive
"When it comes to theological primers, this one by Veli-Matti Kärkäinen is probably without peers. It is concise without sacrificing essentials, comprehensive without overburdening the beginner. This expanded edition includes contributions from the Majority World and voices from the margins, which make it a truly ecumenical state-of-the-art introduction." -- Simon Chan, editor of the Asia Journal of Theology, Singapore
"An ecumenical ecclesiology needs to strike a balance between institutional stability and spiritual freedom as well as between apostolic legacy and prophetic orientation. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen offers a reliable and balanced introduction to the different profiles of the one and holy Christian church. He also leads the reader to recognize the distinctive identity of the church within the variety of global religious communities." -- Risto Saarinen, University of Helsinki
"This completely revised and expanded edition is an ecclesiological tour de force. With keen attention to the pluralistic and global context of theology today, Kärkkäinen's up-to-date survey of Christian perspectives on the doctrine of the church is as rich in depth as it is diverse in scope. It is certain to be a widely used textbook on the church for years to come." -- Cheryl M. Peterson, professor of systematic theology, Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University, and author of Who Is the Church? An Ecclesiology for the Twenty-First Century
"Kärkkäinen's critical survey of Christian views of the church c