Ecumenical Reception: Its Challenge and Opportunity

by William G. Rusch

In 1988 William Rusch wrote a book tracing the development of the idea of  reception  up to that time. During the intervening years, both reflection on  reception  and the experience of attempting to engage in it have progressed considerably.

Rusch begins with a bird's-eye view of the term  reception  across several disciplines -- law, philosophy, literary criticism -- before homing in on its theological import. He traces its use as a term and as a practice from the New Testament up to the twentieth century, painting a picture of a dynamic process that fosters unity and diversity among churches and spiritual communities. Finally, he examines the new chapter in the history of reception due to the establishment of the ecumenical movement, and considers what will be necessary for it to continue to move the church forward.

152 pages, Paperback

First published July 16, 2007