Abstract:
This article argues that, over against the idea of the church as an institution,
the church should be characterized as an event that does not live
from the being and will of Jesus Christ as historical figure, but from the
existence of the present Christ. The present Christ is the constitutive factor
of the church. The church is determined by the present Christ, called
by him into life and maintained by him. This characterizes the church
also as a waiting church.