It introduces students to the fundamental historical, systematic, moral and ecclesiological aspects of the study of the church, as well as serving as a resource for scholars engaging in ecclesiological debates on a wide variety of issues. Divided into six parts, the book gives a comprehensive overview of the Christian church, including: the church in its historical context, denominational traditions, global perspectives, methods and debates in ecclesiology, key concepts and themes, and ecclesiology and other disciplines: the social sciences and philosophy.