The Institutions of the Emerging Church presents essays by Scandinavian scholars on the self-understanding and institutions of the primitive Church from the beginnings until the first decades of the second century. It continues a Scandinavian tradition reaching back to the internationally known works connected with the Anton Fridrichsen-circle. The volume is particularly timely as Fridrichsen's theology and Scandinavian biblical scholarship in general are receiving increasing attention (especially in the wake of the 1994 WUNT collection of Fridrichsen's exegetical writings). Contributors to this volume come from diverse denominations (Protestant and Catholic), while their basic common background still lends the volume a clearly distinguishable profile. In sixteen essays this book provides an up-to-date and well-structured treatment of all the central institutions of the early Church. The essays cover the following topics: the self-understanding, worship, cult and sacraments as well as the offices of the emerging primitive Church. Comprehensive treatment of the history of research is included. In one volume, the book offers an easy access to the heartbeat of the fledgling Church, soon to occupy a dominant role in history of western civilization.