"What is faith?" "Why the church?" With these simple yet foundational questions Dutch theologian Anton Houtepen frames his exploration of the contemporary Christian ecclesial community.

Drawing on his broad knowledge of scripture and his masterful understanding of the Christian intellectual tradition, the author examines Western approaches to God and affirms the impulse of believers to unite in visible community, i.e. church. He further lays bare essential points of agreement among Christians on such controverted topics as baptism, moral behavior, ministry, and church unity.

Although writing from within the Roman Catholic tradition, Dr. Houtepen is a widely recognized ecumenist. This background enables him to discover soil in which the seeds of reconciliation among Christians can take root. He ends his demanding theological journey with a ringing appeal for a just, compassionate, and unified "people of God".

Insightful and informed, yet refreshingly written, this work presents one of the finest studies on the church to appear within the last two decades.

Anton Houtepen is Professor of Theology at the Philosophical Faculty of Erasmus University, Rotterdam and Senior Lecturer at the Interuniversity Institute for Missiological and Ecumenical Research at Utrecht.

Cover photo: Evening prayer at the Taizé Community.