The Church of God

How does the Church perceive herself? Fr. Louis Bouyer's The Church of God sets out to answer that question, in light of Tradition and theological reflection through the centuries, but especially by drawing on the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. This book is a highly-readable, thorough synthesis of ecclesiology after the Council, presented by one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century.

The author, himself a former Lutheran minister, also explores Reformation views of the Church, as well as the Catholic Church's deepened understanding of her distinctive identity and her imperfect but real communion with the Orthodox churches and Protestant ecclesial communities. The Church of God is a major contribution to the ecclesiology of communion fostered by the Second Vatican Council and continued by Pope Paul VI, but especially by John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Indeed, the book reflects the "hermeneutic of reform" Pope Benedict XVI insists should guide the interpretation of Vatican II.

Louis Bouyer

Louis Bouyer (1913–2004) was born to a Parisian Protestant family and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor at age twenty-three. He converted to Catholicism in 1939 and was ordained a priest of the Oratory in 1944. He became a prolific theological writer and teacher worldwide. His works have had an enduring impact on Catholic theology. His other books include The Church of God and The Word, Church and Sacraments.