Mother Church Ecclesiology and Ecumenism

Carl Braaten here issues an energetic call for a truly ecumenical church, including a Lutheran rationale forrecovery of the historical episcopacy and papal primacy as servants of the gospel. Quoting Augustine's dictum that "You cannot have God for your father unless you have the church foryour mother," Braaten writes of the church's place in the divine scheme of things and of the variousmodernisms that distort or hide the classical Christian tradition. Tracing his own ecumenical journey, heoutlines an ecclesiology of communion and advances specific proposals for enhancing Christian unity inliturgy, spirituality, and church polity. The confessing movement named after Martin Luther he views interms of its basic intent to reform and renew the church, not to start a new Christianity in a multiplicity of separate denominations. Vigorous, provocative, well and clearly argued, Braaten's case is a formidable and timely contribution tothe ecumenical debate.