An Introduction to Ecclesiology - by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen (Paperback)

About the Book

In this thoroughly revised and updated text, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen provides a wide-ranging survey of ecclesiology. This primer orients readers to biblical, historical, and contemporary ecclesiologies and highlights global perspectives.

Book Synopsis

What is the church? In this thoroughly revised and updated text, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen provides a wide-ranging survey of ecclesiology in the midst of rapid developments and new horizons. This unique primer not only orients readers to biblical, historical, and contemporary ecclesiologies but also highlights contextual and global perspectives.

Review Quotes

"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."

"Kärkkäinen's critical survey of Christian views of the church comes at a time when interest in ecclesiology is rising. It provides a helpful map through the terrain of diverse interpretations of the nature of the church for those interested in an introduction and a refresher course in doctrines of the church for those who studied it long ago but have forgotten much of what they learned. Above all it contributes to our ecumenical understanding of different Christian traditions. It is a gift to the body of Christ to be enjoyed by Christians who want to understand that body's unity in diversity."

"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."

"This long-awaited revised and expanded edition of An Introduction to Ecclesiology is a remarkable cartography of the church's complex yet beautiful reality. Not only does Kärkkäinen demonstrate his broad knowledge of multiple ecclesiological resources, but he also distills a lifetime of engagement with the one and multiple, spiritual and historical, faces of the faith community. This book will undoubtedly be of great use to anyone interested in how the church should faithfully relate to other faiths, new cultural challenges, and the uncertain future."

"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."

"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."

About the Author

Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen (Dr.Theol.Habil., University of Helsinki) is professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and docent of ecumenics at the University of Helsinki. He is ordained by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and is also an expert on Pentecostal/charismatic movements. He has served as visiting professor in various schools around the world and has participated in numerous international theological, missiological, and interfaith consultations. His many books include The Trinity: Global Perspectives, An Introduction to the Theology of Religions, and the five-volume series A Constructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World.