To be the Church: Challenges a

At the end of a century which saw the rise of a worldwide movement for church unity, many observers would say that ecumenism has fallen on hard times. Among the churches which have historically been the mainstay of the ecumenical movement, many face the new millennium with uncertainty about their own identity and mission. This challenging book by the former general secretary of the World Council of Churches weaves together concerns and hopes he has heard expressed by church leaders around the world, insights that have emerged from ecumenical reflection on the church and on the world, and biblical images of the nature of the Christian community. The author outlines a vision of how the dynamism of the movement towards a worldwide fellowship of churches and of its institutional expression in bodies like the World Council might be rekindled in the face of the daunting challenges of the years ahead.

Koniad Raiser is general secretary of the World Council of Churches.