The Catholic Church: Nature, Reality and Mission

(Paperback)

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Walter Kasper is already well-known and loved throughout the English-speaking world. He has held high office in the Vatican but until his recent retirement has felt constrained from publishing what he really thinks and his vision of the Church for the future. Kasper brings to conclusion a project that has been pursued for years, as it joins together his greatest monographs on the subject of God's teaching and Christology. The book covers three main topics: Nature, Reality and the Mission of the Church. The introductory section is autobiographical and the reader can see Kasper's personal and theological way in to and with the Church. He develops the actual ecclesiological exegesis - for Kasper the representation of the Being of the Church is not about empirical description, but rather a testimony of being. He emphasizes that nobody is able to apply the stereotypical and idealistic image of the heavens to the critical acknowledgement of the church's present. The program of the Church is ultimately not self-directed but rather remains oriented towards the finalization of the arrival of the kingdom of God and the spiritual healing of the human race.

Reviews

More than any other work currently available, Kaspers book covers the needs of courses in ecclesiology ... [It] provides the richest and most accessible ecclesiology available at present. * Journal of Theological Studies *
There are a number of reasons why Anglicans should read Walter Kaspers new book with close attention. He is a major figure in Catholic theology and his work shows a keen awareness of ecumenical themes His ecclesiology is very much one of communio and although the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church Kasper is firm that Rome can learn from other Christian bodies. * Church of England Newspaper *
As with other works of [Kasper], this volume is rich in historical details and presents a balanced, erudite exegesis of Vatican II's understanding of the church. * Theological Studies *

Author Bio

Cardinal Walter Kasper is a German cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is president Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Since the death of Carlo Maria Martini, he has become one of the main figures of the liberal wing of the Catholic Church.