Ecclesiology for a Global Church

"Every day, the church gives birth to the church."--The Venerable Bede

“In 2008, Richard Gaillardetz’s Ecclesiology for a Global Church was a breakthrough in ecclesiology, a fresh and profound theology that recognized both the radical missionary nature of the church and its new global reality rooted in its local identity. This new edition, with its brilliant new concluding chapter, confirms the book’s original vision and brings it up to date in the context of ‘the Francis moment’ in the church's history.”—Stephen Bevans, SVD, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago

“It is a rare and unexpected pleasure to find that the Church is finally beginning to address the ecclesiological problems Gaillardetz identified and explored years ago. This revised edition is inspired by the changes in the air, showing how the work of Pope Francis is directed towards building the more global Church that the first edition wished to see come to pass. Good for the pope, and good for Gaillardetz!”—Paul Lakeland, Fairfield University

“Gaillardetz achieves a satisfying balance between the traditional by situating ecclesiology in its historical contexts, and the fresh, through re-imagining the traditional marks of the church in terms of communion (one), baptismal discipleship (holy), mission (catholic), and communal memory (apostolic), and the global, through references to Latin American, Oceana, Africa, and Asia. A very valuable classroom resource, indeed.” —Susan K. Wood, Regis College, Toronto

“The revised edition of this important resource helps us to appreciate the rich diversity of the global Catholic Church more fully and to understand the pontificate of Pope Francis as a response to the shifting social context of Christianity in the world today.”—Catherine E. Clifford, Saint Paul University, Ottawa

“Richard Gaillardetz’s work on a Catholic ecclesiology for a world-church has been remarkably prescient of the global, pastoral vision of Pope Francis. I enthusiastically recommend this revised edition.”—Ormond Rush, Australian Catholic University

“A great tool for undergraduate classrooms and parish study groups. It could even find utility in RCIA programs.” - Patrick J. Hayes, Catholic Library World

Richard Gaillardetz brilliantly captures the dynamics of the church today, both in theological terms (as a people called by Jesus and sent into the whole world), and in social terms (at the juncture in history when Christianity has become a world religion and the church has become a world church). Integrating traditional ecclesiologies of the North with emerging insights from Latin America, Africa, Oceania, and Asia, Gaillardetz helps us understand what happens when the church takes cues not just from Scripture and Tradition, but also from women, Asian and African religions, and the challenge of promoting justice and peace in the face of globalization and the environmental crisis.

Dr. Richard R. Gaillardetz was the Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology, Boston College. A past-president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, he is the author of over a dozen works on ecclesiology, including By What Authority: Foundations for Understanding Authority in the Church.

Cover photo: Shutterstock. Used with Permission.

Cover design: Ponie Sheehan