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Transtraditional ecclesiologies address a divided Christianity. Postmodern ecclesiologies try to address the fragmented world. Features of postmodern thinking can be seen in a wide array of ecclesiologies, including many of those listed above. In some sense, the majority of theories about the church that developed during the last half century have some elements of postmodernism. For Stanley Grenz, at the heart of postmodern ecclesiology is the idea of relationship and community.¹ Community in the postmodern setting is understood not as a solid structure but as a fluid reality featuring dynamic identity.² Identity is a focal point of postmodern ecclesiologies. Communal identities are shaped by narratives, as Alasdair MacIntyre has shown in his important contribution to postmodern theology.³ James McClendon summarizes this line of thinking by defining community as 'sharing together in a storied life of obedient service to and with Christ."⁴ For Gerard Mannion, who has authored a study particularly dedicated to the relationship between ecclesiology and postmodernism, the postmodern way of thinking implies the openness of the church to the diversities within and outside it, epistemic humility, and commitment to dialogues: "Naturally, we must engage in dialogue with the wider societies and the world in general, learning lessons and gathering inspiration for how we might take the church forward."⁵

DOI: 10.1057/9781137543936_8

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