Book Review of An Introduction to Ecclesiology by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, InterVarsity Press, 2002

Finnish theologian Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, a professor of systematic theology at Fuller, has lived in Europe, Asia, and North America and thus brings a very unique perspective to the topic of ecclesiology. He has written eleven books in English and seven in Finnish, including Pneumatology: The Holy Spirit in Ecumenical, International, and Contextual Perspective and The Doctrine of God: A Global Perspective. In his book An Introduction to Ecclesiology, Kärkkäinen looks at various ecclesiological traditions, explores the perspectives of modern day ecclesiologists, and unpacks specific ecclesiologies, such as the feminist church.

In An Introduction to Ecclesiology, ecclesiology is defined as “the doctrine of the church (9).” The ecclesiologies highlighted in part one are Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholicism, Lutheran, Reformed, Free Church, Pentecostal/Charismatic, and the Ecumenical Movement. Kärkkäinen takes an ecumenical approach by not only presenting the major beliefs that are a part of these but also correcting some of the misconceptions associated with them. Distinctions between the ecclesiologies include whether they’ve emphasized pneumatology or Christology, the importance given to the sacraments and the Word, the view of ministers versus the role of all believers, whether the church is visible or invisible, and the relationship between the church and state. The section seems to propose that church traditions are not as far apart as one would think; however, in presenting the challenges of the Ecumenical Movement, the author illuminates why church unity can be a lofty goal.

In part two, Kärkkäinen details the ecclesiologies of John Zizioulas (communion), Hans Küng (charismatic), Wolfhart Pannenberg (universal), Jürgen Moltmann (messianic), Miroslav Volf (participatory), James McClendon, Jr. (Baptist), and Lesslie Newbigin (missionary). The emphasis on the community of the church is part of the ecclesiology of each of these theologians. Moltmann takes the concept so far as to include the “community of creation,” from the molecular level to human beings (133). Newbigin’s phrase that the church is not a “segregation but a congregation” captures well the focus put forth by each of these men as they seek unity in the church (154).

Part three of the book looks at global ecclesiologies and specific ones such as the feminist ecclesiology. These theologies challenge mainstream thinking, whether it is Asia’s non-church movement that criticizes clergy or Latin American ecclesial communities that want the church to give more attention to the poor and oppressed.

Newbigin said, “The church finds itself sharing the gospel with a culture that, on the one hand, is permeated by the inheritance of the Enlightenment and modernity, and, on the other hand, by postmodern nihilism and hopelessness…Those whose roots are still in the project of modernism are usually very skeptical, whereas genuinely postmodern persons may welcome the narrative truth of the gospel, although only as a story among others….The nature of the witness of the church in such a context, rather than claiming to possess the truth, is ‘bearing the truth and witnessing to the truth (158-159).’” For my case study, I want to explore the process of building community within my neighborhood, and this quote seems to have great relevance for that goal. Part of bearing the truth is reflecting Christ in the way that I interact with my neighbors that they can see the truth of His love in me. The skepticism of the church often results from people seeing inconsistent behavior in Christians.