LAUSR

of the Holy Spirit. The church then in all its ways is to be characterised as koinonia, a communion and participation by the Spirit in personal relationship with the triune God and as members of the body of Christ. Tyler gives convincing demonstration that these two biblically grounded touchstones, the Trinity and the koinonia of the Spirit, infuse every element of Torrance’s ecclesiology. The following three chapters demonstrate the fruitfulness of Torrance’s trinitarian ecclesiology of koinonia. Chapter 5 takes up the question of church order and structure in this present age. Founded on the apostle’s message and informed by the early creeds, Torrance provides insight as to how Christ-centered ministry and mission can be lived out in relation to the wider society and world today. In chapter 6 Tyler presents Torrance’s handling of the four Nicene ‘notes’ of the church (unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity) in conjunction with the classical Reformed ‘marks’ of the church (the Word of God purely preached, the sacraments rightly administered and church discipline). Treated all in the light of the koinonia of the Trinity, Tyler shows how these each radiate for Torrance a distinctive and decisive character that practically informs the dynamic participatory life of the church. Chapter 7 concerns matters that Torrance not only thought, taught and wrote about, but actively participated in over many years: reconciliation, ecumenism and missions. These three dimensions of church life are in Torrance’s view inseparable and unavoidable. The church’s being as the creation of the Trinity for the purposes of koinoniamake it so. Tyler traces out the persistent but not always successful trajectory of Torrance’s endeavours along these lines. Finally (and as noted above), chapter 8 helpfully situates Torrance in dialogue with Tanner, Moltmann and Zizioulas. Tyler then closes with comments on the continuing value of Torrance’s biblical and theologically comprehensive approach to ecclesiology. While some may want more extensive critical engagement with Torrance, Tyler has provided what is not easily achieved – a faithful and comprehensive exposition of what Torrance actually understood the church of Jesus Christ to be. Such a foundation must first be accurately and fully laid out before any honest and constructive critique can follow. And that is what Tyler has accomplished in this valuable volume.