Real Church

Harald Hegstad is a Norwegian Lutheran theologian. He is Professor of Systematic Theology at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, Norway. His research in ecclesiology includes empirical studies as well as publications within systematic and practical theology.

• Preface1. Introduction2. The Church: People Gathered in the Name of Jesus3. Sociological and Theological Perspectives4. Sent Out into the World5. Fellowship with One Another6. The Church as an Organization and Institution7. A Fellowship of Ministries8. Worship: As Gathered in the Name of Jesus9. The Universal Church as the Fellowship of Local Churches10. Epilogue: Building Up the Real ChurchBibliographyIndex

This is an ecclesiological masterpiece. Hegstad's multi-disciplinary erudition, logical acuity, and, above all, theological wisdom all come into play as he argues - very convincingly - that the church we believe in is not, and cannot be, anything other than the church we live within and experience. A complex-yet-balanced constructive, theological proposal that is a must-read for everyone interested in the church.