Abstract
The Church faces a crisis of identity today because it has not addressed the conflict inherited from Vatican II between the Church as a society and as communion. The author argues for the priority of the image of the people of God in ecclesiology and draws out some implications for the Church’s self-understanding. He calls the Church to clarify the place and meaning of the laity and their charisms, and challenges the Church to rethink her ministry to better express her underlying identity. Practical implications of this effort are presented, including the role of the sensus fidelium.
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