Re-Visioning the Church

Re-Visioning the Church, the outcome of nearly two decades of research, applies a social scientific and historical outlook to the emergence, development, and ongoing mission and ministry of the church. Establishing a critical framework for understanding the structures of the church, the work explores the religious, cultural, and social dimensions of what it means to be the church and what structures and ministries form the foundation of ecclesial life. The heart of the project is a detailed account of the history and development of the church that takes the story from the apostolic band to the Second Vatican Council.