A contemplative vision of the church to come

Abstract

This contemplative vision of the Church to come is inspired by Karl Rahner’s 1974 work The Shape of the Church to Come. In this work Rahner poses three fundamental questions that serve as key for a concrete, non-idealised vision of the mission of the Church in today’s world and the future world. Rahner forms the questions concerning the shape of the Church to come in relation to the central principle governing the orientation of the Church’s very esse, evangelisation. Rahner’s questions engage the reader to consider to whom and in what contexts the Church will address the precious message entrusted to her and what humanity’s wounds are that need to be addressed which are not being adequately met today. [extract]