God of visible unity, Church of the people of God: A response to Tom Greggs

This paper, responding to Tom Greggs paper on ecclesiology, explores and discusses some of his arguments against an empirical and a traditionalist approach to ecclesiology, and for an ecclesiology stemming from the Reformation tradition. The paper takes its starting point in the ecumenical quest for visible unity as the basis for the understanding of apostolicity and authority. It unfolds three perspectives on ecclesiology which might support the unity not only of the Christian Church, but also of humankind. These three themes of ecclesiology are, a.) The missio Dei perspective as uniting perspective; b.) The Church as the people of God: The quest for a baptismal ecclesiology, and c.) The Church in and for the world.