An essay written as part of my Grad. Dip. Theology in 2014.
Near the beginning of his book An Introduction to Ecclesiology, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen poses the question “What is the church for?” In this essay, I review Part One (“Ecclesiological Traditions”) through the lens of that question. The essay summarises the ecclesiologies of Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, Pentecostal/Charismatic and Ecumenical traditions, before suggesting the equal importance of considering the view of the church from the outside.