Introduction ix
1. FROM SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS TO THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS 1
2. HORIZONS FOR A NEW SELF-UNDERSTANDING 14
The biblical message: God's plan revealed through a people 15
Primordial ecclesiologies: the corporate personality themes 17
Solidarity in the 'body of Christ' 24
Election': being for the others in God's total plan 35
Changing horizons of community awareness 48
New horizons of theological reflection 64
3. THE TERMS OF THE MYSTERY 70
A community of disciples united in the Gospel 70
Communion: a fellowship without precedent 78
Divinely established 85
Grounded in the trinitarian mystery 95
United in the apostolic 'tradition' and 'deposit' 101
One, holy, catholic and apostolic 105
4. SHARING IN A CALL TO SERVE 112
Service: the primordial dimension of the Christian mystery 112
Gifts that differ, for the service of others (I Pet 4:10) 114
The ministry of authoritative leadership 117
The apostolic 'foundation' 121
Peter, 'the first' among the twelve 126
The handing on of pastoral leadership in the N.T.Church 129
The role of the bishops and pope in the community of disciples 134
The scope of pastoral authority 160
5. SHARING IN A MISSION 172
What the Church must give to the world 172
A prophetic presence 177
A task for every confessing Christian 182
6. SHARING IN A HISTORY 191
A pilgrim people destined for the 'kingdom' 192
The changing face of the Church 198
Disciples disunited: the ecumenical imperative 203
Who are members? 217
7. MARY AND THE CHURCH 221
An ancient theme recovered 221
An example simple and gracious 230