A Missionary Ecclesiology

Loehe's Contribution to Contemporary Discussions of the 'missio Dei'

Abstract

Wilhelm Loehe’s ecclesiology as described in his Three Books about the Church precedes the missional church movement by more than 150 years. That, however, should not disqualify Loehe from the conversation about a missionary ecclesiology. His definition of mission as the one catholic church in its movement includes important aspects worth considering: the congregation as the visible expression of that church in its mission in response to the universal call (vocatio catholica) of the Gospel, served by the one office of Word and sacrament, bound in witness to the apostolic Word, and engaged in outer mission through the priesthood of all believers motivated by the apostolic mandate of loving the neighbor. Structuring an ecclesiology around these principles makes Loehe a timeless witness to any discussion of the missional nature of the church.