Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 262.02 EAN: 9780826428530 ISBN: 0826428533 Label: Continuum International Publishing Group Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 408 Publication Date: 2008-06 Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Sales Rank: 1262140 Studio: Continuum International Publishing Group
Book DescriptionWith a focus on how mission and communities are developing in the global Church, David Power, already known for his publications in the field, offers a comprehensive theology of ministry rooted in communal witness and action in local Churches rather than in the distinction between lay and ordained, sacred and secular.
The development of small communities and the rapid decline of ordained priests around the world has led to an enormous number of lay people in leadership positions, who effectively guide Christian communities but cannot preside at the Eucharist (the heart and soul of Catholic identity and practice). It is against this background that David Power has written a magisterial work on the mission, ministry and order of the church that is historically comprehensive, theologically progressive, pastorally oriented, and ecumenically and globally focused.
In response to the current theological milieu, Power insightfully suggests that critical questions about mission and ministry belong within a healthy dialogue between churches and ecclesial communities. 'The present moment is one of opportunity,' he writes, 'which allows a more profound renewal of communal responsibility and mission.'
