Search

Written by experts from within their communities, this book compares the legal regimes of Christian churches as systems of religious law. The ecumenical movement, with its historical theological focus, has failed to date to address the role of church law in shaping relations between churches and fostering greater mutual understanding between them. In turn, theologians and jurists from the different traditions have not hitherto worked together on a fully ecumenical appreciation of the potential value of church laws to help, and sometimes to hinder, the achievement of greater Christian unity. This book seeks to correct this ecumenical church law deficit. It takes account of the recent formulation by an ecumenical panel of a Statement of Principles of Christian Law, which has been welcomed by Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, leader of the Orthodox Church worldwide, as recognizing the importance of canon law for ecumenical dialogue. This book, therefore, not only provides the fruits of an understanding of church laws within ten Christian traditions, but also critically evaluates the Statement against the laws of these individual ecclesial communities. The book will be an essential resource for scholars of law and religion, theology, and sociology. It will also be of interest to those working in religious institutions and policy-makers.

Der Band untersucht, welches Verständnis des Heiligen Geistes aus den zentralen multilateralen Texten des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen unter Einbeziehung des pentekostalen Ansatzes in den ökumenischen Diskurs resultiert. Im theologischen Vergleich wird reflektiert, welche Aspekte der Lehre über den Heiligen Geist aus der pentekostalen theologischen Tradition den ökumenischen multilateralen Diskurs erweitern können. Wie kann ihr besonderes Verständnis des Heiligen Geistes unverkennbar und gleichzeitig gewinnbringend für den ökumenischen multilateralen Diskurs dargestellt werden? Umgekehrt wird gezeigt, in welcher Gestalt die Pentekostalen ihre Vorstellung vom Heiligen Geist anhand der Begegnung mit dem ökumenischen multilateralen Diskurs neu ausdrücken können. The pentecostal openness to the presence of the Holy Spirit can be understood in terms of the analogy with the Trinitarian personhood as a mode of the individual participation in the life of the Triune God. This links the pentecostal understanding of the Holy Spirit with the koinonia-ecclesiology of the ecumenical multilateral dialogue. The current understanding of the ecumenical koinonia-ecclesiology is modelled by the life of the Trinity and formed by the sacramental participation of the church in the life of the Triune God. In this way, Pentecostalism can find its access to the eucharistic-sacramental understanding of unity of the church. Conversely, this is also enriching for the multilateral ecumenical koinonia-discourse. The participation in the koinonia with the Triune God includes not only the dimension of the eucharistic fellowship, but also the dimension of the direct personal orientation of Christians toward the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Paulos Mar Gregorios (1922–1996) war ein Protagonist der ökumenischen Bewegung und zugleich eine zentrale Figur des indischen Thomaschristentums im 20. Jahrhundert. Sein Leben und Werk stehen paradigmatisch für ein anbrechendes ökumenisches wie globales Zeitalter. In theologischen, philosophischen und politischen Diskursen, die er prägte, profilierte er sich stets als ›östlicher‹ Denker. Dies mag auf den ersten Blick im Widerspruch zu jener Ökumenizität wie Globalität stehen. Doch zeigt der Band anhand der Person und ihres Werkes, wie gerade der global geführte Dialog im Interesse der Einheit zum Movens der Imagination und somit Emanzipation des Eigenen werden kann. Paulos Mar Gregorios (1922–1996) was both a leading figure of the ecumenical movement and one of the most renowned representatives of the St Thomas Christians of India in the 20th century. His life and work can be seen as paradigmatic of an evolving ecumenical as well as global age. In the countless theological, philosophical, and political discourses that he influenced, he distinguished himself as an'Eastern'thinker. At first glance, this seems to contradict the ecumenical and global character of his life and work. The present study shows the person and his work as an example of how global dialogue about unity can lead to a process of imagination and thus emancipation of one's own identity.

Churches vary a great deal - but can we see past all their differences to what underlies them?'Generous orthodoxy'is a phrase that describes a Christianity both broad and deep, rooted in the historic creeds and embracing different expressions of Christian faith. The Bond of Peace is a ground-breaking, creative and practical exploration of what generous orthodoxy really means, and how expressing it might bring about a sense of unity in the church that is badly needed in our fractured and polarised world. Drawing together leading theologians from the UK and the USA - including David Ford, Katherine Sonderegger, Willie Jennings, Tom Greggs, JKA Smith and Jane Williams - The Bond of Peace offers reflections on how generous orthodoxy can be expressed through everything from worship and preaching to biblical theology, the arts and more.Based around a series of lectures held at St Mellitus College, and sponsored by the McDonald Agape Foundation, this timely book is essential reading for anyone interested in how the Christian Church can bridge the gap between denominations to negotiate the challenges of our 21st century world in a united manner. It will leave you, not only with a deeper understanding of generous orthodoxy, but the practical confidence to celebrate and embrace the differences in Christian denominations so we can all live together more joyfully - through the transforming and renewing work of the Holy Spirit.

Kurt Kardinal Koch, der Präsident des Päpstlichen Rates zur Förderung der Einheit der Christen und einer der besten Kenner der ökumenischen Bemühungen der letzten Jahrzehnte, legt eine höchst informative und engagierte Einführung in die heutige Situation der Ökumene vor. Dazu gehört ein konziser Überblick über die Geschichte der Spaltungen und der ökumenischen Annäherungen. Die besonderen Akzente, die die Päpste Johannes Paul II., Benedikt XVI. und Franziskus für den Fortschritt der Ökumene setzten, werden klar hervorgehoben. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit finden auch die bis heute ungelösten Fragen und die neuen Herausfor-derungen, wie etwa die Ausweitung der ökumenischen Partner durch die neuen charismatischen, evangelikalen und pentekostalen Bewegungen, der mangelnde Konsens über das Ziel der Ökumene, die neuen Kontroversen in Ethik und Anthropologie oder die ökumenische Verantwortung für die Religionsfreiheit.

Aktuell unterliegen die Rahmenbedingungen für ökumenische Praxis einerseits einer hohen Dynamik, andererseits wird ökumenische Stagnation beklagt. In dieser Situation sucht der vorliegende Band nach Neuaufbrüchen. Überwiegend jüngere Stimmen bringen neue Ansätze ein, reagieren auf gegenwärtige Herausforderungen und Entwicklungen und erzeugen Resonanzen auf konkrete Praxisfelder der Ökumene. Die methodische wie sachliche Orientierung der Ökumenik wird vielfach auf den Prüfstand gestellt und die Dynamik weltweiter religiöser, politischer und gesellschaftlicher Verschiebungen auf ihre Konsequenzen für die Zukunft der Ökumene hin befragt. Mit Beiträgen von Arne-Florian Bachmann, Stefan Dienstbeck, Maria Hinsenkamp, Sung Kwon Kim, Rebekka A. Klein, David Kulke, Antti Lück, Lukas David Meyer, Rasmus Nagel, Mirjam Sauer, Peter Schütz, Lisanne Teuchert und Kristina Wollnik-Hagen. [Ecumenism in Motion. New Perspectives in Research] Currently, the framework conditions for ecumenical practice are subject to a high dynamic on the one hand, while on the other hand ecumenical stagnation is deplored. In this situation, the present volume looks for new beginnings. Predominantly younger voices contribute new approaches, react to current challenges and developments, and generate resonances in concrete fields of ecumenical practice. The methodological and factual orientation of ecumenism is often put to the test and the dynamics of worldwide religious, political and social shifts are questioned as to their consequences for the future of ecumenism.

Caritas und Diakonie sind für die Kommunikation des Evangeliums in Wort und Tat zentral. Sie beschreiben eine Grundhaltung der Achtsamkeit für Leid und des Eintretens für Menschen in Not. Zugleich stehen sie für das organisierte soziale Engagement der beiden großen Kirchen. In 57 Artikeln befassen sich Fachleute aus Wissenschaft, Wohlfahrtsverbänden und Kirchen mit den Erscheinungsformen und Herausforderungen von Diakonie und Caritas. In den Blick kommen auch Hilfepraxen, die jüdische oder islamische Prägungen haben oder menschenrechtlich begründet sind. Traditionen diakonischen Handelns werden ebenso dargestellt wie Diskurse um die Weiterentwicklung des Sozialen sowie exemplarische Handlungsfelder. Das Kompendium will dazu beitragen, kirchlich-soziale Verantwortung deutlich kooperativer zu gestalten und den Dialog mit Akteurinnen und Akteuren unterschiedlicher Prägung zu intensivieren. Das macht es zu einem einzigartigen Handbuch für Studium und Praxis.

'I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one--as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me'(John 17:20-21, NLT). For most Christians these words of Jesus seem like an unreachable ideal. Or they promise spiritual unity without a visible demonstration between real people. Some even read these words with a sense of fear seeing this text used for a compromise agenda. How should we understand this prayer offered for all who follow Jesus? What if Jesus really intended for the world to'believe'the gospel on the basis of looking at Christians who live deep unity in a shared relationship with him? What if there is way of understanding what Jesus desired so that we can begin anew to tear down the many walls of division that keep the world from seeing God's love in us? Is our oneness much bigger and deeper than we could imagine? John Armstrong has devoted three decades to the work of Christian unity. His story and ministry have encouraged many around the world and now they are reflected in this memoir of a life devoted to unity.

The Oxford Handbook of Ecumenical Studies is an unparalleled compendium of ecumenical history, information and reflection. With essay contributions by nearly fifty experts in their various fields, and edited by two leading international scholars, the Handbook is a major resource for all who are involved or interested in ecumenical work for reconciliation between Christians and for the unity of the Church. Its six main sections consider, respectively, the different phases of the history of the ecumenical movement from the mid-nineteenth century to the present; the ways in which leading Christian churches and traditions, Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, and Pentecostal, have engaged with and contributed to the movement; the achievements of ecumenical dialogue in key areas of Christian doctrine, such as Christology and ecclesiology, baptism, Eucharist and ministry, morals and mission, and the issues that remain outstanding; various ecumenical agencies and instruments, such as covenants and dialogues, the World Council of Churches, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Global Christian Forum; the progress and difficulties of ecumenism in different countries, areas and continents of the world, the UK and the USA, Africa, Asia, South America, Europe, and the Middle East, ; and finally two all-important questions are considered by scholars from various traditions: what would Christian unity look like and what is the best method for seeking it? This is a remarkably comprehensive account and assessment of one of the most outstanding features of Christian history, namely the modern ecumenical movement.

Thousands of Protestant churches are perplexed by plateaued or declining attendance, while other congregations nearby thrive. Is there a way for them to combine forces, drawing on both their strengths, in ways that also increase their missional impact?In Better Together, Expanded and Updated: Making Church Mergers Work, church merger consultant Jim Tomberlin and award-winning writer Warren Bird make the case that mergers today work best not with two struggling churches but with a vital, momentum-filled lead church partnering with a joining church. This much-needed resource describes the range of mergers for strong, stable, stuck, and struggling churches. No matter what type of merger a church may be considering, the authors address key questions about the process: How can a merger help a church go forward? How will a merger process unfold? Where can a declining church find another congregation to join? What are the pitfalls that both pastor and congregation should avoid? How can'better together'lead to more, rather than fewer, life-giving, high-impact, reproducing churches? They provide a complete, practical, hands-on guide for church leaders of both struggling and vibrant churches, so they can understand the issues, develop strategies, and execute mergers for church expansion and renewal--ultimately, so they can reinvigorate declining churches and give them a'second life.'No matter what your motivation for merging your church with another--to begin a new church life cycle, cross racial lines, reach more people for Christ, multiply your church's impact, or better serve your local community--Better Together will give you the tools you need to create a thriving new entity.

Es sind nicht nur Unterschiede in der Lehre, die zwischen den unterschiedlichen christlichen Konfessionen stehen. Auch das tief in kulturelle und soziale Lebensformen verwobene Erbe konfessioneller Mentalitäten ist seit jeher prägend für die Haltung der unterschiedlichen'Christentümer'zur Ökumene. Der vorliegende Band versammelt erste Erkundungen zu den einenden und trennenden Kräften konfessioneller Mentalitäten in Geschichte und Gegenwart, die 2018 und 2019 im Rahmen von Veranstaltungen des Münchner Zentrums für Ökumenische Forschung in München entstanden sind.

This volume differs from many quincentennial discussions of the Protestant Reformation--and ecumenical scholarship more generally--in that it shifts the focus from Europe and the West to the global South, where ecumenism's promises and challenges are quite different. In postcolonial and post-missionary Africa, the churches continue to expand, competition among denominations is lively, and Christian rivalry with Islam is often a reality. In Latin America, Protestants have severely eroded the Catholic Church's hegemony, originally forged in the zeal of the Counter-Reformation to combat the perceived errors of Luther and Calvin. In India, the Christian churches are a tiny, beleaguered minority facing an increasingly militant Hindu nationalism. These essays pay close attention to the different contexts of intra-Christian relationships worldwide--the actual situation on the ground. If ecumenism will succeed, it cannot be simply a matter of experts at a conference attempting to agree about doctrines abstracted from the contexts in which they were forged, the contexts in which doctrinal disagreements caused ecclesial ruptures, or the contexts in which Christians continue to live out our divided existence. This volume attempts to be sensitive to the lived experience of divided Christians in whatever part of the world they find themselves.

The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification which is considered to be‘a milestone on the journey of ecumenism'has a very significant place in the theological-ecumenical realm since it hoped to overcome the disunity betweenthe protestant Churches and the Catholic Church at large. This work analyzesand redefines the JDDJ from a Pentecostal perspective, and proposes a newPentecostal view of ecumenism for this century. The major questions that areconsidered here are: what is the ecumenical and ecclesiastical significance of thisJoint Declaration in the 21st century, what are the neglected theological elementsin the Joint Declaration, what are the controversial issues connected to the JDDJand what challenge can it give to the present world of Christianity?.The JDDJ has become a basis for theological agreement and further discussions.This study also brings out ecumenical and theological understandings of thePentecostal Church and substantiates the Pentecostal assessment of theJDDJ. The first chapter has two parts: the first part explains the research topic,methodology and the importance of the research; and the second part gives anoutline of the Pentecostal movement and its theology mainly with regard to thedoctrine of justification. The second chapter deals primarily with the significantstages and influences that helped for the formation of JDDJ. The last part ofthis chapter explains the responses of other churches to the JDDJ. The thirdchapter presents a Pentecostal response to the JDDJ, which starts with a positiveevaluation and will be followed by a negative response to the same. The fourthchapter expounds the development of a paradigm model for the ecumenicalthinking of the 21st century from a Pentecostal point of view.The Proposed slogan for this century can be “back to Pentecost” and be unitedin the love and power of the Holy Spirit. Because it is said that Pentecostalexperience of the 1st-century Christianity has had a true Ecumenism, which wassomehow lost in the long run. Nevertheless, methodological shifts in the approachto ecumenism can still make a change. When such a step is taken, the goodnews of unity of Christians will become a reality. Only then one can say that thecondemnation of the 16th century regarding the doctrine of justification is invalid.

How do Christological Perspectives differ and which specific ways of witnessing Christ exist depending on cultural, geographical and confessional context in which they developed? Theologians from Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, Oceania and Europe discuss these questions focussing on the missiological implications of various contextual Christologies. They aim to answer the question if contextual and confessional provenience coins the epistemological preconditions in a way that creates, shapes and secures peculiar identities.

Fatigues et peine, veilles souvent; faim et soif, jeune souvent; froid et denuement; sans compter tout le reste, ma preoccupation quotidienne, le souci de toutes les Eglises (2 Co 11,27-28). L'apotre Paul a montre avec quelle obstination il convenait de poursuivre le bien de l'Eglise - de toutes les Eglises, qui font vibrer par leur diversite la gloire du Dieu unique, a l'instar des variantes de la cathedrale de Rouen ou Monet saisit l'infinie variete des couleurs que distille sur les pierres chatoyantes le soleil de Normandie. Le souci de toutes les Eglises constitue le fil rouge des contributions presentees dans ce volume d'hommage offert au professeur Joseph Fameree a l'occasion de son emeritat. Une premiere partie traite de l'oecumenisme sous l'angle d'un regard retrospectif et d'une vision prospective. La communion esperee entre les Eglises ne releve pas d'une volonte d'uniformite entre les cultures et les traditions qui ont su accueillir l'Evangile. Elle se recommande du temoignage du au Dieu Un - le Dieu d'amour, impatient de rassembler dans l'unite ses enfants disperses. Cheminant dans l'opacite des memoires, par-dela la pesanteur des institutions, le desir de faire prevaloir la communion sur l'acrimonie des divisions ne peut se dispenser d'un long travail d'histoire et de theologie. Une deuxieme partie aborde les questions ecclesiologiques les plus actuelles: la requete de synodalite et de conciliarite, qui se fait jour tant dans l'Eglise catholique que dans l'Eglise orthodoxe; la reforme du ministere petrinien, que recommande le bien supreme de la communion; la conception du ministere dans l'Eglise, o- il n'y a plus ni Juif, ni Grec; il n'y a plus ni esclave, ni homme libre; il n'y a plus l'homme et la femme; car tous, vous n'etes qu'un en Jesus-Christ (Ga 3,28). La troisieme partie envisage la trajectoire et l'influence d'un theologien de l'unite qui a puissamment contribue au ralliement tardif de l'Eglise catholique a la tyche oecumenique: Yves Congar (1904-1995) - il convenait, en effet, d'evoquer l'oeuvre majeure du dominicain francais, auteur de predilection du professeur Joseph Fameree. En guise d'ouverture, apres une reflexion sur le poids de la culture dans le developpement des societes africaines, l'ultime contribution invite la theologie a tourner son regard vers les vastes cieux que l'astronomie offre a sa contemplation emerveillee, non sans lui assigner de nouvelles tyches.

After the birth of the Protestant ecumenical movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and following the first great wave of universal Christian ecumenism in the 1960s and 1970s after the Second Vatican Council, prominent theologians of nearly every ecclesial tradition charted new territory in the last decades of the twentieth century. They crossed boundaries within their own ecclesial traditions and built bridges to other Christian churches--churches that were once excluded from fellowship. In the development of these new programs of ecumenical theology, the theologians redefined their own confessional identities and, in many cases, crossed the liberal-conservative divide within their own traditions. This volume introduces this fascinating dynamic of theological mediation, redefinition, and generosity. It shows how the ecumenical impulses, which were directed outwardly to other traditions, had reflexive effects inwardly. Working in the realms of both historical and systematic theology, the essays in this volume provide a critical analysis of the history of this general theological sentiment and offer an outlook for its future. Contributors Brian D. McLaren, Foreword Paul Silas Peterson, Introduction Part One: Ecumenical reform theologies Andrew Meszaros, Yves Congar: The Birth of'Catholic Ecumenism'Matthew L. Becker, Edmund Schlink: Ecumenical Theology Dorothea Sattler, Otto Hermann Pesch: Ecumenical Scholasticism Ronald T. Michener, George Lindbeck: Ecumenical Unity through Ecclesial Particularity Nikolaos Asproulis, John D. Zizioulas: A Pioneer of Ecumenical Dialogue and Christian Unity Part Two: Overcoming liberal-conservative polarities Ben Fulford, Hans Frei: Beyond Liberal and Conservative Friederike Nussel, Wolfhart Pannenberg: Liberal Orthodoxy Jay T. Smith, Stanley J. Grenz: The Evangelical Turn to Postliberal Theological Method Part Three: Boundary crossings in philosophical, systematic and ethical theology William E. Myatt, David Tracy: Difference, Unity, and the Analogical Imagination Christophe Chalamet, Robert Jenson: God's Way and the Ways of the Church Victoria Lorrimar, Stanley Hauerwas: Witnessing Communities of Character Christine M. Helmer, Marilyn McCord Adams: Philosophy, Theology, and Prayer Part Four: Ecumenical theology today Wolfgang Vonday, Pentecostalism and Christian Orthodoxy: Revision, Revival, and Renewal Johanna Rahner, Shifting Paradigms - Future Ecumenical Challenges Michael Amaladoss, Theology today in India: Ecumenical or interreligious? Bernd Oberdorfer, Next Steps - and Visions? Lutheran Perspectives on Doctrinal Ecumenism

With Courage and Compassion celebrates the contributions of women to nations, societies, churches, and the ecumenical movement. Through creative forms of resistance and daring theological exploration, women have enriched and advanced theological discourse and called for transformations in within human relationships with one another and with the earth. The World Council of Churches (WCC) has, since its inception in 1948, responded to the call of women for recognition of their leadership and theological gifts with efforts at affirmation and inclusion. However, all is not well. Structures and processes that permit many forms of exclusion and even violence against women in societies in the church and the ecumenical movement persist. This book analyses what lies at the heart of the struggle women go through and why the vulnerability of women continues to be exploited. It calls for a new theological vision and political imagination to transform unjust attitudes and systems that still exist, particularly in the ecumenical movement.