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This'miscellany'puts readers around the table with a teacher who has provided the church with wisdom and passion and introduces a new voice to the ongoing conversation about the relationship between the gospel and culture. Andrew Walker's'ecclesial intelligence'and broad interdisciplinary approach to theology and sociology will undoubtedly capture the imagination of many who are curious about the church's mission in the modern West. Notes from a Wayward Son represents a broad sampling of Walker's writings from a distinguished forty-five-year career--from explorations of Pentecostalism and Charismatic Renewal to Eastern Orthodoxy, C. S. Lewis, and Deep Church; from the impact of modernity on the ecclesia to mission and ecumenism in the West today. In a world and a church often driven by the latest fashions, Walker's is a voice to which we will want to listen!

Apostolizität und Einheit sind zentrale Themen der Ökumene. Epheserbrief-Textanalyse und gründliche Untersuchung des Zustandes der damaligen Kirche versuchen Integrationsfähigkeit in der gespalteten Kirche zu finden. Geschichte, Entwicklung und heutige Situation der Thomaschristenheit werden selbstkritisch dargestellt. Der Beitrag des Vatikanum II gilt als Chance und Wendepunkt für die Orientalischen Kirchen und lässt Perspektiven für eine mögliche Zukunft erkennen.

In German-speaking countries, the role of the diaconate has been strongly influenced by nineteenth-century ideas of diakonia as service towards the poor. As important as the social initiatives stemming from this perspective have been, in order to correctly understand deacons and diakonia in the early church, we must go back to the sources. For this volume, focused on the first two centuries of Christianity, scholars from a range of backgrounds consider the use of diakonos and related words in the New Testament and extra-biblical sources, both Christian and otherwise. These texts reveal what deacons actually did, helping us to understand the past and giving guidance for the present, particularly in ecumenical discussions concerning the ministry.

Wie beeinflussten die folgenden Faktoren die Beziehungen zwischen den Kirchen Niedersachsens zwischen 1945 und 1975? Anja Peycke untersucht Größe und Organisationsstand der Landeskirchen und Bistümer, den gesellschaftspolitischen Kontext, das Staat-Kirche-Verhältnis, kontroverstheologische Fragestellungen, psychologische und sprachliche Barrieren, Gemeinden und Pfarreien sowie die Haltung von Bischöfen und Landesbischöfen. Dabei entwirft sie für jede Landeskirche und jedes Bistum ein ›ökumenisches Portrait‹ der entscheidenden Strukturen, Personen, Einflüsse und Haltungen zu Fragen der Ökumene und dem interkonfessionellen Miteinander. Für die regionale Perspektive werden die nationalen und internationalen Zusammenhänge des Christentums ebenso berücksichtigt wie der gesellschaftspolitische Hintergrund in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. How do the following factors influence the relationship between the churches of Lower Saxony from 1945 to 1975? Anja Peycke analyses the size and the organisation of the Protestant Lutheran Churches and Roman Catholic dioceses, the social-political context, the relationship between state and church, controversial-theological issues, psychological and linguistic barriers, congregations and parishes as well as the position of Catholic and Protestant bishops. Here, she designs an individual'ecumenical portrait'for each congregation and parish, depicting important structures, personalities, influences and positions on ecumenism and interconfessional cooperation. For the regional perspective, national and international contexts of Christianity are considered as well as the socio-political background of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Advancing strong, scholarly discussion on the Holy Spirit and the church in the context of the ecumenical movement, six theologians in five different churches offer new theological and pastoral insights into the work of the Holy Spirit in the churches of Christianity, in ecumenism, and in witness. With The Church: Towards a Common Vision (World Council of Churches) document serving as a common point of reference, a pastoral perspective is distinctive throughout. Relating theology to non-theological knowledge of the contemporary cultural context, as well as application to pastoral practice, this book draws from, and is applicable to, clergy formation, preaching, lay discipleship, church-world relations, social mission, congregational life, grass-roots ecumenical cooperation, and witness to Christ and the gospel by racial minorities.

Nikos Nissiotis (1924-1986) was one of the foremost and formative intellectuals of the ecumenical movement in the twentieth century. As professor of philosophy and psychology of religion at the University of Athens, director of the Bossey Institute, and Chairman of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, he interpreted the Orthodox spiritual tradition for a Western audience and highlighted the role of Christian thought in the modern world.This collection of his most fundamental and significant articles – some of which have been largely inaccessible until now – includes an introduction by the editors to the ecumenical and theological legacy of this exceptional thinker.

This book provides a specific proposal for churches divided by centuries-long disputes and disagreements to move toward a vision of the unity of the church. It seeks to offer a way for divided churches to move beyond the present quagmire that challenges much of the modern ecumenical movement. Building upon the theological dialogues between the churches, this volume identifies and supplies a way for churches to regain a momentum that seems recently to have been lost in the ecumenical movement.

Fr. Alexander Schmemann continues to influence liturgical and sacramental theologies some thirty-five years after his death. Despite the wide acceptance within Protestant circles of his timeless classic, For the Life of the World, there has been relatively little written about him from an ecumenical context. This volume of collected essays seeks to explore his theological legacy and further his work. With essays from leading scholars such as David Fagerberg, Bruce Morrill, Joyce Zimmerman, and more, this volume is meant for both teachers and students of liturgical and sacramental theology. In an effort to introduce Schmemann to a wider audience and to celebrate his work through meaningful engagement and dialogue, contributors come from a wide variety of ecclesiastical backgrounds: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Free Church, and more.'The Eucharist is therefore the manifestation of the Church as the new aeon; it is participation in the Kingdom as the parousia, as the presence of the Resurrected and Resurrecting Lord. It is not the'repetition'of His advent or coming into the world, but the lifting up of the Church into His parousia, the Church's participation in His heavenly glory.'Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Introduction to Liturgical Theology, p. 72.

L'unité de l'Église n'implique-t-elle pas une recherche authentique de Dieu? Du Dieu de Jésus-Christ? Ne découle-t-elle pas d'une maturité de la foi et d'une spiritualité profonde qui débordent et franchissent les barrières des différences (légitimes) des divergences de pensées et d'expressions, des artifices de l'intelligence et des artifi ces des volontés humaines? Et de fait, l'unité (de l'Église) ne trouve-t-elle pas sa source dans l'unité des personnes de la divine Trinité et dans celle des noces du Christ et de son Église, de la pleine communion du chrétien avec l'Esprit Saint? L'inculturation implique, pour être authentique, l'unité dans la diversité.

Gebete und Gottesdienste sind ein Herzstück der Ökumene. Oft wird berichtet, dass hier eine Einheit erfahrbar ist, die in Dialogen gesucht wird. Zugleich gilt das Feld als eines der schwierigsten: Die fehlende Abendmahlsgemeinschaft führt die Trennungen sichtbar vor Augen; verschiedene Vorstellungen prallen aufeinander und sorgen für Konflikte. Gottesdienst ist sowohl eine Quelle der Einheit als auch Ausdruck der Trennung und Grund zur Spaltung. Wie sich die Diskussionen rund um den Gottesdienst sowie die liturgische Praxis in der Ökumenischen Bewegung verändern und wie sich hierbei jeweils das Verhältnis von Kirchen- und Gottesdienstgemeinschaft gestaltet, ist Thema dieses Buches. Analysiert werden hierfür Gottesdienste aus der Geschichte und Vorgeschichte des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (1910–1998). [Prayer and Worship. Practice and Discourse in the History of the World Council of Churches| It has often been stated that prayer and worship are at the heart of Ecumenism. Many have reported that in shared prayer they have actually experienced the unity sought after in the ecumenical dialogues. At the same time, the field is a particularly difficult one: The absence of Eucharistic fellowship highlights the obvious clash of understandings and perceptions and makes separation apparent. Worship is thus both a source of unity as well as a sign of, and even a reason for, separation. This study attempts to shed light on how both the debates about worship and the liturgical practice of the Ecumenical Movement have changed over time, and how the relationship of ecclesial communion and worship communion is shaped. To this end, the author analyses prayers and services throughout the history of the World Council of Churches and several previous ecumenical bodies (1910–1998).

Through fieldwork research, this book seeks to explore Catholic ecumenism and the proliferation of Pentecostalism. Using data gathered from four West African countries, it additionally endeavors to investigate the sociopolitical impact of Pentecostalism, which is growing exponentially and is seen by many as the new face and phase of Christianity on the continent. This book puts a search light on the reality of West African Pentecostalism and its relationship with the older Christian traditions. It cogently asks if Pentecostalism is a cog in the wheels of the fragile ecumenical work among West African Christianity and wonders about its impact on the poor existing social, economic, and political situations common to most West African politics and governments. This book is for professionals and students of religion and theology, and is useful for the casual reader.

This book contains fresh insights into ecumenism and, notwithstanding claims of an “ecumenical winter,” affirms the view that we are actually moving into a “new ecumenical spring.” It offers new theological insights in the areas of Christology, Pneumatology and Trinitarian theology, and discusses developments in ecumenism in the USA, UK, Australia, India, and Africa, as well as in ecumenical institutions such as the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Anglican Roman Catholic Commission (ARCIC).

In a context of scandal and decline, the Christian church cannot afford to do business as usual. It must regain its bearings and clarify its nature and purpose. Sacrificing the Church provides this clarity by returning to the church's foundation: Jesus Christ and him crucified. It presents an ecclesiological vision in which every aspect of the church's life flows from and expresses the one sacrifice of Christ. This sacrifice is the basis of every ecclesial experience, the form and content of the church's life, a life which shares in the eternal Trinitarian life of God. By and as Christ's sacrifice we are introduced into the divine life. This participation plays out in three key areas, which set the church's agenda in the contemporary world: its worship of God (Mass), mission to the world (mission), and efforts toward the unity of all people, beginning with divided Christians (ecumenism).

Kirchengemeinschaft – communio wurde zu einem Schlüsselbegriff ekklesiologischer Überlegungen in der Ökumene. Dieser Band dokumentiert ein Lehrgesprächsergebnis, das die Vollversammlung der GEKE sich 2018 zu eigen machte. Es zieht eine Bilanz der seit 1973 auf der Grundlage der Leuenberger Konkordie verwirklichten Kirchengemeinschaft und präzisiert das theologische Konzept von Kirchengemeinschaft unter Berücksichtigung der neuesten ökumenischen Diskussionen. Ferner diskutiert es die Herausforderungen, vor denen die GEKE als Gemeinschaft von Kirchen in Europa gegenwärtig steht, und zeigt Perspektiven für eine weitere Vertiefung dieser Gemeinschaft auf. Abgedruckt ist auch ein bislang kaum verfügbarer Text, der Vorüberlegungen zur Leuenberger Konkordie enthält und für das Verständnis ihres Modells wesentlich ist. Church communion – communio has become a key concept in ecclesiological deliberations in ecumenical contexts. This volume presents the result of a doctrinal conversation, adopted by the General Assembly of the CPCE in 2018, evaluating the church communion realised on the basis of the Leuenberg Agreement since its signing in 1973 and specifying the theological concept of church communion in the light of the latest ecumenical discussions. In addition, it contemplates the challenges that the CPCE currently faces as a communion of churches in Europe and suggests potential approaches to further intensifying this communion. This volume also contains a reprint of a previously scarcely available text revealing key considerations prior to the conclusion of the Leuenberg Agreement, which provides an invaluable tool for understanding this model of church fellowship.

Die Studie'Lutherische Identität'ist ein Beitrag des Instituts für Ökumenische Forschung in Strasbourg zur weltweiten Selbstverständigung der lutherischen Kirchen. In drei Thesenreihen werden zuerst theologische Grundüberzeugungen der lutherischen Kirchen benannt, erläutert und in historische und aktuelle Kontexte gestellt. Ferner wird das Verhältnis der lutherischen Kirchen zur Einheit der Kirche erörtert und seine Artikulation im Lutherischen Weltbund und seinem ökumenischen Engagement dargestellt. Schließlich werden heutige Herausforderungen der lutherischen Kirchen in ökumenischer Perspektive eingehend bedacht. Die Studie will lutherische Kirchen anregen, weiter über ein klares, historisch gut begründetes, selbstkritisches und einladendes Verständnis ihrer Identität nachzudenken. [Lutheran Identity] The study'Lutheran Identity'is a contribution of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg to the self-understanding of the Lutheran churches worldwide. In its first set of theses, the basic theological convictions of Lutheran churches are described, explained, and their historical and actual contexts are addressed. In the second series of theses, the relation of Lutheran churches to the unity of the church is discussed, along with how it is articulated in the Lutheran World Federation and in ecumenical engagement. Finally, present-day challenges for the Lutheran churches and their identity are addressed in an ecumenical perspective. The study intends to encourage Lutheran churches to reflect on a clear, historically well-founded, self-critical, and inviting understanding of their identity.

This book tells the story of Charles C. West, one of the architects of the modern ecumenical movement. He details his life in China as a Presbyterian missionary in the 1940s and narrates the origins of the ecumenical movement in Europe and the emergence of the World Council of Churches. He also discusses the theological encounter with Communism and the work of organizations like the Christians Associated for Relationships with Eastern Europe (CAREE). In these pages he presents a new ecumenical way of relating biblical faith to the realities of the world, not least in matters of peace, racial justice, combating poverty and promoting justice amid rapid social and technological change.

How has the Christian movement grown and changed in the last five hundred years? From Luther to Tillich and the Virgin Mary, from Protestant initiatives and Catholic dialogues, from Charles Taylor to progressive Christianity, this book runs the gamut. The urgency of ecology, the sacramentality of foot-washing, the complexities of biblical interpretation, the theology of the cross, and the ongoing work of reformation are all under the microscope. A distinctively ecumenical project, this book presents a variety of perspectives on these pressing questions, drawing together authors from the Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, United Church of Canada traditions, and more. Each contributor provides unique insights into Christianity's ongoing processes of re-forming as contexts and circumstances change. Readers will find resonances of the familiar interwoven with new research about the project of ecumenical Christianity.

In Recovering the Ecumenical Bonhoeffer, Javier Garcia explores the possibilities for Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theology to revitalize interest in the ecumenical movement and Christian unity today. Although many commentators have lamented the waning interest in the ecumenical movement since the 1960s, the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017, coupled with recent in-roads such as the ecumenical efforts of Pope Francis, have opened new possibilities for the ecumenical project. In this context, Garcia presents Bonhoeffer as a helpful model for contemporary ecumenical dialogue. He finds important points of convergence between Bonhoeffer and Calvin, thereby establishing potential areas of rapprochement between the Lutheran and Reformed traditions. Beyond examining the state of ecumenism and unfolding the ecumenical promise of Bonhoeffer's thought, Garcia assesses the future of ecumenical engagement in a secular age. Altogether, he proposes a recovery of the ecumenical Bonhoeffer for envisioning new possibilities for church unity in our day.

This book explores the relationship between the Orthodox tradition and the ecumenical practice of engagement with other Christian traditions. This relationship has for a long time been compromised by an underlying tension, as the Orthodox have chosen to participate in ecumenical encounters while – often at the same time – denouncing the ecumenical movement as deficient and illegitimate. The author perceives this relationship to be even more inconsistent since the core of Orthodoxy as professed by the Orthodox is precisely that of re-establishing the unity and catholicity of the Church of Christ. This vision informs Orthodox identity as essentially a Church of exploration, of engagement and dialogue, a Church committed to drive all other traditions, but also itself back to the «right» primordial faith. The book exposes the risk of Orthodox theology turning into an oppositional picture of Orthodoxy as necessarily opposed to a heterodox antipode, rather than being the continuous dynamic reality of the living Church of Christ. The author proposes the rediscovery of a set of paradigms in an ethos of humble, active metanoia that would enable a more plenary ecumenical operation for the Orthodox as well as a renewed awareness of their own spirituality.

In the first volume of Essays in Ecumenical Theology Ivana Noble depicts differences between what she calls a sectarian outlook and one which engages in the search for common roots, dialogical relationships and shared mission in a world that has largely become post-Christian, but often also post-secular. Drawing on both Western and Orthodox scholarship, and expressing her own positions, Noble sketches what ecumenical theology is, how it is linked to spirituality, the methods it uses, how it developed during the twentieth century, and the challenges it faces. Specific studies deal with controversial interpretations of Jan Hus, Catholic Modernism, the problematic heritage of the totalitarian regimes, and responses to the current humanitarian crisis.

Seeking God's Design honors the 50th anniversary of The Design. It is focused around a series of audiotaped interviews that Disciples of Christ Historical Society President James Seale conducted from 1989 to 1993 with Disciples leaders who played important roles in Restructure. It provides historical context and offers a series of reflections from key Disciples leaders today, as we honor and critically evaluate the work of our predecessors while looking ahead to the next 50 years of our life as a church. Seeking God's Design is the first volume of the James and Mary Dudley Seale Series on Disciples and Public Engagement, a partnership between the Disciples of Christ Historical Society and Chalice Press.

Receptive Ecumenism is a ground-breaking new ecumenical approach, widely regarded as having the potential to revitalise the Ecumenical Movement. But what is Receptive Ecumenism? Why is it important? In Receptive Ecumenism and the Renewal of the Ecumenical Movement, Antonia Pizzey offers a comprehensive, systematic analysis of Receptive Ecumenism. While still emerging, Receptive Ecumenism is highly promising because it prioritises the need for ecclesial conversion. Pizzey explores the scope and complexity of Receptive Ecumenism, providing much-needed clarity on its aim, key developmental influences and distinctiveness, as well as its virtuous character and relationship with Spiritual Ecumenism. The major implementations of Receptive Ecumenism to date are investigated, along with its significance for the future of ecumenism, especially regarding its engagement with contemporary challenges.