The Church And The Churches

Book Summary

How can Christians claim to hold in common one Lord, one faith, and one baptism while their churches remain splintered? Theological giant Karl Barth's mature, historic discussion of the problem of church unity still deserves careful attention. Originally written for the 1937 Edinburgh World Conference on Faith and Order, Barth's profound reflections continue to speak to today's multiplicity of churches. While some of his subject matter -- the predicament of churches in Germany before World War II, for instance -- may now be of mostly historical interest, his call for Christians to honestly listen to Christ through their various traditions is as fresh and demanding as ever. Through this thoughtful inquiry Barth brings clarity to the relationship between the Church and the churches, calling believers everywhere to a more serious confession of Christ. Those actively engaged or interested in contemporary ecumenical ventures cannot afford to ignore the foundation for unity laid out in this little Barth volume. In this book are presented Karl Barth's lectures on the question of the unity of the Church in view of the multiplicity of the churches. They are among the most significant and mature writings of this distinguished theologian. Through a thoughtful study of the nature of the Church and the churches, he reaches a notable conclusion as to their relation, and closes with a surprising suggestion for Christian unity.

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