The Reform of the Church
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
In his book Donald Bloesch points the way towards much needed reforms within Protestantism, showing how Catholic thinking in this area can be of aid to Protestants. He sounds the call for sacramental and spiritual renewal within the church today, and gives a fresh interpretation of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper. He also discusses such rites as confession and confirmation, as well as spiritual healing and other charismatic gifts. The book concludes with a call to Christian unity based upon the Gospel of free grace declared in Holy Scripture. The Reform of the Church is both evangelical and ecumenical, and can be recommended to anyone who is earnestly seeking the renewal of the church in our time.
Donald G. Bloesch, Ph.D, is professor emeritus at Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. He has written such books as "Essentials of Evangelical Theology", "Is the Bible Sexist?", and "The Future of Evangelical Christianity". Dr. Bloesch was educated at the University of Chicago, Oxford University, University of Tubingen, and Basel University where he studied under Karl Barth.
"I consider this book...a forthright positive account of a kind of biblical view of Christianity that is often understated in our day"
- Paul L. Holmer
Yale University Divinity School
"Dr. Bloesch writes with wide scholarship, broad sympathies, and much practical good sense in this study of the ways in which the modern church needs reform, and how such reforms can be accomplished. While he is deeply concerned for the unity of the church, he conceals nothing of its difficulty, and this book provides an excellent survey of the difficulties, as well as the potentialities, of ecumenical programs."
- Mary McDermott Shideler
author of Consciousness of Battle
"Reform of the Church is not not a blazing manifesto of revolutionary change. But its quiet and undramatic suggestions make it something of more permanent value: a call to know what we, as Christians, ought to be doing to make the resources of the historic faith available now and for the future."
- Kenneth Hamilton
The University of Winnipeg