Jesus and the Church: The Foundation of the Church in the New Testament and Modern Theology

Description

What is church's true foundation? Was the Christian church founded by Jesus, or does ‘the Eucharist make the church’? Paul Avis sets out his own answer to these questions. Gathering a wide range of critical scholarship, he argues that there is something solid and dependable at the foundation of the church's life and mission. Avis argues that Jesus wanted a church in a sense, but not as we know it. Christ proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom and his disciples proclaimed the gospel whose content was Jesus himself, the Kingdom in person. The church is battered and divided, but at its core is a treasure that is indestructible – the gospel of Christ, embodied in word and sacrament. A central theme of the book is the relationship between the church and Christ, the church and the gospel, the church and the Kingdom. Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the sole foundation of the church, but he cannot be without his people. Title page Copyright page Contents List of Abbreviations and references Preface Chapter 1: Rock of ages and living waters Chapter 2: Jesus and the church Chapter 3: Biblical speech about the church Chapter 4: Images of Christ and the church in the New Testament Chapter 5: From ‘founder’ to ‘foundation’ Chapter 6: The foundation of the church in Protestant theology Chapter 7: The foundation of the church in Roman Catholic theology Chapter 8: The foundation of the church in Anglican theology Chapter 9: The Paschal Mystery the foundation of the church Bibliography Index of Names