Towards a theology of the death of the Church

Abstract

The article argues that the decline of main-line churches within the Western context must be understood theologically. It offers a set of theses by which such a theology might be approached. It engages with theological themes such as providence, salvation, the theology of the cross, and ecclesiology. These themes are explored in part through a reading of key passages within the Gospel of John. It proposes that the Church might be called to a ‘good death’ and reflects on what the theology of resurrection has to say about the future of the Church. © 2014, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.