"This is a marvelous volume on ecclesiology in the contemporary setting. Harper and Metzger have produced a text that surveys the broad range of issues related to the church with freshness, theological depth, and genuine insight. Indeed, I have not read a better introduction to ecclesiology and hope that it becomes a standard textbook in college and seminary classes and finds a wide readership outside of the academy. It is a splendid example of theology in service to the church."--John R. Franke, Biblical Seminary"Harper and Metzger provide evangelical Protestants an ideal entrée into what has been the long-neglected stepsister of systematic theology in North America. The authors root ecclesiology in the life and missions of the triune God, nourish it with scripture and the rich tradition of the church catholic, and glean abundant fruit by engaging the crucial issues of our time and place. A must read for evangelicals who intuitively know that the church is not incidental or just instrumental to the Christian life.
"--Barry Harvey, Baylor University"Harper and Metzger keep their promises with an ecclesiology at once deeply ecumenical and sharply evangelical. They offer a richly Trinitarian and eschatological orientation even as they ground the doctrine of the church in an American context. As a generation of younger evangelicals discover ecclesiology--no, discover the church--I am happy and grateful to be able to refer them to this book."--Matt Jenson, Biola University"Harper and Metzger have written an important evangelical and ecumenical introduction to ecclesiology. Being evangelicals themselves, they have managed to incorporate into their vision of the church important insights from both the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox theology and tradition. I found helpful many of the ways in which the authors used Trinitarian theology, worship, and eschatology in order to shape their ecclesiology. I believe that this is a book from which Orthodox students, theologians, and pastors have much to learn."--Rev.
Dr. Demetrios Bathrellos, Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge"An evangelical ecclesiology that takes the counter-cultural notion of divine communio as its starting point merits reading. That this book also examines race, sacraments, and Christian art will really grab the attention of a serious and plentiful readership. Metzger and Harper deserve the highest praise for pushing the envelope--in the generous catholicity of their evangelical faith, in their sharp wisdom on US social and cultural ills, and as noteworthy Christian theologians."--Peter Casarella, DePaul University"Exploring Ecclesiology is true to its subtitle, being both vibrantly evangelical and admirably ecumenical; it is commendable for its depth, breadth, and erudition. Harper and Metzger''s sympathetic engagement with Catholic ecclesiology is challenging and reciprocal. I especially appreciate how the authors emphasize and explore the vital connection between ecclesiology and eschatology, something very beneficial to readers seeking to better appreciate how living the Faith in community today relates to the hope of entering fully into Trinitarian communion in the life to come."--Carl E.
Olson, Ignatius Insight"For people who have wondered whether evangelicalism has a sufficient ecclesiology, this book will be a welcome addition to the conversation. The authors are not afraid to open up wider angles of reflection for evangelicals who are ready to develop a renewed, hearty ecclesiology. They offer a series of soundings toward an ecclesiology that can be both evangelical and ecumenical, both robust and contemporary. The book is especially important for the way it engages ecclesiology in a dialogue between the church''s gospel-shaped identity and the cultural circumstances in which it lives its witness to the gospel."--George R. Hunsberger, Western Theological Seminary"In the 21st century, the institution of the church has become an easy target for criti.