Apostolic and Prophetic ― Ecclesiological Perspectives

Without trying to provide definitive answers to how today's church should be reformed, Thiessen (systematic theology, Mater Dei Institute, Dublin) reflects on some diverse topical themes in contemporary ecclesiology and ecumenical dialogue. The seven chapters began as separate papers, and she decided to gather them into a book when she noticed that they all dealt in some manner with the church as apostolic, ecumenical, and radical. Among the topics are apostolicity in select ecumenical documents of the Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic Churches; critical observations on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and Dorothee Solle and a theology of liberation. Published in 2011 by Pickwick Publications. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Gesa Elsbeth Thiessen lectures in systematic theology at Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy, and at 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).