that are common to all communities, he defined the church in a distinctive way. The church has its own narrative, practices, and telos, which it shares with no other community. Indeed, the people who confess the crucified Lord and participate in his destiny stand apart from other communities by living for others rather than meeting their own personal needs. As the community of the new age, it stands in sharp contrast to the communities of the present age. This identity provides a model for the contemporary