The Real Church
An Ecclesiology of the Visible
Published on 27. June 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
258 pages
978-0-227-17409-8 (ISBN)
Description
What does it mean to believe in the church? What is the relationship between the church we believe in and the church we experience? Is there an invisible church that is different from the visible? This book is an argument for an ecclesiology of the visible. The only church, the real church, is a concrete reality made up of people, just like any other fellowship. What distinguishes it as church is the presence of the triune God among those who gather in the name of Jesus, making it a sign and anticipation of the fellowship of the kingdom of God. From this premise Dr. Hegstad analyzes such issues as the relationship between church and world, mission and diakoni, church as fellowship and organization, ministries in the church, worship, and the unity of the church, as well as discussing the relationship between a sociological and a theological understanding of the church.
Reviews / Votes
"This is an ecclesiological masterpiece. Hegstad's multi-disciplinary erudition, logical acuity, and, above all, theological wisdom all come into play as he argues - very convincingly - that the church we believe in is not, and cannot be, anything other than the church we live within and experience. A complex-yet-balanced constructive, theological proposal that is a must-read for everyone interested in the church."Nicholas M. Healy, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, St. John's University
'In this lucidly written work, which he has himself translated from Danish into English, Hegstad argues that we should dispense with a Platonically inspired idea of the invisible Church which exists above and beyond the real-life community that gathers in the name of Jesus for worship and fellowship.'
Revd Dr Edward Dowler, in Church Times, 28 March 2014
"[...] this book, is something that is often lacking in contemporary studies of the Church: a union of systematic theology and empirical research. This would be a very good book, therefore, to put into the hands of those curates I met who are about to undertake a study of their local church as part of their training."
Alan Billings, Theology, vol 117, issue 295, (2014)
This text is a helpful work of ecclesiology, both for its formal means of argumentation as well as Hegstad's material conclusions and prescriptions.
Joseph McGarry, Theological Book Review, volume 26, no 1, 2014
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E-Book
06/2013
James Clarke & Co Ltd
€24.49
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Person
Harald Hegstad is a Norwegian Lutheran theologian. He is Professor of Systematic Theology at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, Norway. His research in ecclesiology includes empirical studies as well as publications within systematic and practical theology.
Content
Preface 1 Introduction What Does It Mean to Believe in the Church? Between Systematic and Practical Ecclesiology Confessional Context and Biblical Basis Recent Developments in Ecclesiology 2 The Church: People Gathered in the Name of Jesus The Starting Point: the Church is a Fellowship of People Matthew 18:20 as a Starting Point for Understanding the Church The Continuing Presence of Jesus by the Holy Spirit The Church as the Body of Christ Understanding the Church from an Eschatological Perspective The Holiness of the Church The Eschatological Reservation: Not Everyone Who Says Lord, Lord . . .