In the last days of the twentieth century, leading New Testament scholar and popular preacher Daniel Harrington, S.J., asked himself two powerful questions: What might the church of the first century have to say to the church of the twenty-first century? And How might a brief sythesis of what the New Testament says and does not say about the church help bring greater vitality within and unity among the churches? The result of Father Harrington's research and thinking is this timely and important book.

Daniel J. Harrington, SJ (1940-2014), was professor of New Testament at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. He was the author of a number of books, including How Do Catholics Read the Bible? and, with James F. Keenan, Jesus and Virtue Ethics.