Apostolic and Prophetic: Ecclesiological Perspectives

Apostolic and Prophetic promotes a vision of the church as apostolic ecumenical and radical. It explores the meaning of each of these ecclesial marks and their intrinsic connections. The volume thus draws a wide span between the apostolic past (tradition) and a radical perspective on the present and future ecumenical church. The book considers the concept of apostolicity emerging in patristic theology and it examines this concept as it has been developed in some select Lutheran Roman Catholic and Anglican ecumenical documents. Unresolved ecumenical questions concerning ecumenical method and church ministry are frankly discussed including critical observations on ecumenical praxis. The modern notion of churches as denominations is examined in detail especially in the Lutheran context. The author also offers a critical assessment of an important ecumenical event the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The notion of a radical church--aware of its roots and prophetically committed to faith in the kingdom of God seeking freedom and justice--is explored through an extensive analysis and discussion of the work of Dorothee Solle and Terry Eagleton two seminal thinkers of our time. Gesa Thiessen discusses a broad range of current ecumenical issues in a manner that is both theoretically lucid and practically helpful. Her experience as bridge-builder between Lutherans and Roman Catholics as well as between German and English-speaking theological traditions allows her to grapple with many contemporary problems in a creative and forward-looking fashion. Not only academic theologians but also ecumenically minded laypeople will benefit from Thiessens sincere and participatory way of engaging challenging topics. -Risto Saarinen University of Helsinki This book will challenge inform and delight all who are passionate about the church today. From one of the most committed and creative Lutheran ecumenists around it delves deeply into the history of the church to draw forth empowering and inspiring ecclesial perspectives for today and tomorrow alike. Seeking to retrieve an understanding of what lies at the true heart of apostolicity and the literally radical nature of the Gospel itself exploring and explicating the nature and actuality of ecumenical dialogue and offering a vision for the church that resonates loudly with the good news that was proclaimed in first-century Palestine this work will be required reading for those involved in dialogue today and will enhance any course that deals with ecumenism and contemporary ecclesiology. Gesa Thiessen has performed an important service to the theological community in bringing this work into being. It sends forth a message of truly good news concerning the kingdom of God to a world so in need of such--apostolic and prophetic indeed. -Gerard Mannion University of San Diego Gesa Thiessen lectures in systematic theology at Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy and Mater Dei Institute Dublin and is an Honorary Fellow of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies of the University of Wales Lampeter. She has published several books including among others Ecumenical Ecclesiology (2009) Theological Aesthetics: A Reader (2004) and Theology and Modern Irish Art (1999).