Includes bibliographical references.

The open church re-envisioned : ecclesiological investigations : a new international research network / Gerard Mannion --Ecclesial reality and ecumenical horizons for the twenty-first century : The nature and mission of the church : a preface / Thomas F. Best -- Reflections on the Porto Alegre text : called to be the one church / Kondothra M. George -- Unity, catholicity and identity : the unity statements of the World Council of Churches and their reception in The nature and mission of the church / Risto Saarinen -- Communion : God, creation, and church / Paul M. Collins-- The church as 'creation of the Word and of the Holy Spirit' in ecumenical documents on the church : a Roman Catholic exercise in receptive ecumenism / Peter De Mey -- Pentecostal perspectives on The nature and mission of the church : challenges and opportunities for ecumenical transformation / Wolfgang Vondey -- Are councils and synods decision-making? : a Roman Catholic conundrum in ecumenical perspective / Bradford E. Hinze -- Is there a future for the Catholic-Protestant dialogue? : non-reception as challenge for ecumenical dialogue / Korinna Zamfir -- Afterword / John W. Hind -- Appendix: The nature and mission of the church : a stage on the way to a common statement