The Heidelberg Catechism and the church

What is the ecumenical potential and what are the limitations of the teaching on thechurch in the Heidelberg Catechism 450 years after its publication? This contributionprovides an analysis of the only two Questions/Answers in the HC that specificallydeal with ecclesiology. It also searches for references to ministry. After comparingwith other, much more elaborate expositions of the theological meaning on thechurch in catechisms written by members of the drafting team of the HC, the articleputs the HC ecclesiology in historical perspectives and explains its conciseness onthe issue. After describing more recent interpretations of the teaching of the churchin the HC, the text offers a list of ecumenical potentials and limitations.