Do we need the church?

by Richard P. McBrien

Christians must be prepared for a "Copernican Revolution" in their attitude toward the Church. The Church is no longer to be conceived of as the centre of God's plan of salvation, but as the sign and instrument of the Kingdom of God. All are called to the Kingdom; not all are called to the Church. This book is written with an added sense of urgency: that Christians may understand the nature and mission of the Church so that they can accept psychologically, intellectually and spiritually the radical changes that will inevitably occur at a progressively accelerated pace.