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Reflection during the Morning Prayer in the Ecumenical Centre, Geneva, 30 May 2016 The worship committee asked me to give a reflection this morning as my work at the World [...]

My journey into an ecumenical and interfaith perspective began very early. Its roots lie in having grown up in a religiously plural family: Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Russian Orthodox, Quaker, and [...]

Little did I know as I looked up at the stars in the summertime of my childhood that one day I would return to that memory, saying: Here is where [...]

My mother used to remind me that my ecumenical and interfaith interests were already apparent in my childhood as I, a Methodist, tried to understand the religious differences present in [...]

The theme of ecclesiology and ethics has lain at the very core of the modern ecumenical movement since 1910. In its simplest form it addresses the creative tension between what [...]

In a rare instante of ecumenism, Kenneth Kramer, a Catholic, has written a book on T. S. Eliot, an Anglican, the main thrust of which is the philosophy of Martin [...]

This article gives an overview of the recent history of the relationship between the European Baptist Federation (EBF) and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE), which is highly important for overcoming the schism of Protestantism. Starting in 1973 with the Leuenberg Agreement, the CPCE now includes nearly every Lutheran, Reformed, and United church in Europe, as well as important pre-Reformation churches and seven European Methodist churches. The EBF, which represents the largest free church in Europe, is not yet included, primarily because Baptists do not recognize the baptism of infants. Nevertheless, the dialogues since 1999 have shown that there is so much common ground between the two sides that they are earnestly seeking to find a binding cooperation., Introduction The Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) at its Sixth General Assembly, September 12-18, 2006, in Budapest, decided that it wanted 'a closer cooperation' with the European Baptist [...]

In light of the plurality of scriptural interpretations and the receding notion of the church's unity, interpreting the scriptures together in service of the visible unity of the church seems more than a little optimistic. For those who yearn for the church's visible unity, however, the Faith and Order document, A Treasure in Earthen Vessels, offers a promising way forward. With regard to this ecumenical hermeneutic, the document (1) emphasizes the necessity to respect differences in contexts and cultures, (2) highlights the contributions of historical criticism, (3) advocates the use of a limited hermeneutic of suspicion that begins with interpreters, and (4) upholds the notion of the church itself (rather than strictly the academy) as a hermeneutical community. Four additional characteristics are also required for a healthy ecumenical hermeneutic. Such a hermeneutic must be informed by the church's interpretative tradition, continuously open to the activity of the Holy Spirit, unabashedly theological, and doxological, since interpretation of scripture offers an occasion for thanksgiving and praise. For those who share the convictions that the church is called to interpret scripture together and that the church of God in Jesus Christ is genuinely one, an ecumenical hermeneutic can be embraced with gratitude and expectation., The title assigned for the 2007 meeting of the North American Academy of Ecumenists was intriguing, 'Interpreting the Scriptures Together--Seeking the Visible Unity of the Church.' For reasons that present [...]

Dr. Albert (Pete) Pero's dreams have always been big, so I was not surprised when his last sabbatical request (for a leave in Winter/Spring 2002) listed three major projects, which [...]

Few issues cause the Orthodox as much consternation as those concerning ecumenical worship. They rarely complain about meetings to hammer out theological differences, or about common efforts among Christians in [...]

The political changes of 1989-90 put an end to the cold war and the decades-long division of Europe into two mutually hostile political blocs. Suddenly what had been blocked for [...]

PRECIS Since the early twentieth century, the Eastern Orthodox churches have been involved in ecumenical dialogues with other Christian churches. One such ongoing dialogue is with the Reformed/Presbyterian churches. Recently, theologians from both churches met over the course of three dialogues to discuss the issue of Christology. This article examines, from an Eastern Orthodox point of view, the statements put forth from these dialogues. Using the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the topics of discussion covered many aspects of Christology, including Jesus' relation to the Holy Trinity, the humanity and divinity of Christ, and the cosmic implications of the Incarnation. Despite the Reformed/Presbyterian churches' reluctance to accept openly the dogmatic decrees of the first seven ecumenical councils, it is evident that the Christology of the Reformed/Presbyterian churches embraces the full Chalcedonian Christology of the Eastern Orthodox churches. Though there is much left about which to dialogue, it is beneficial for both sides to see that we are in agreement on the person of Jesus Christ, who is the focus of all our divided churches and confessions., The Eastern Orthodox churches have been actively involved in the ecumenical movement since it began in the early twentieth century. It was the Patriarch of Constantinople who, in the first [...]

The recent publication of Yehuda Bauer's collected essays, Rethinking the Holocaust, (1) makes possible a reexamination of difficult questions of history, historiography, ethics, and theology that rise out of that [...]

Matthew R. Foster (Presbyterian church [U.S.A.]) has been an assistant professor in the Theological and Religious Studies Dept. of Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY, since 1992. He was a part-time lecturer (1987-88) in the Religious Studies and Philosophy Depts. of John Carroll University, Cleveland Heights, OH; and previously an instructor at Lakeland Community College, Mentor, OH; DePaul University, Chicago; and the University of Chicago's Continuing Education Program. He attended high school at the American School in Japan, Tokyo, and holds a B.A. from Earlham College, Richmond, IN, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. (1987) in the Ethics and Society Field from the University of Chicago Divinity School. His Gadamer and Practical Philosophy: The Hermeneutics of Moral Confidence was published by Scholars Press ([distributed by Oxford University Press) in 1991. He has lectured at the Third International Buddhist-Christian Dialogue Conference (Boston, 1992) and (with Dr. Robert Reber) at the Parliament of the World's R eligions in Cape Town in 1999 on the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum and its Building Bridges Program, for which he served as Coordinator (1999-2000). He is a member of the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum, of the Advisory Board of the Center for Christian-Jewish Studies at Molloy College, and of the Council on Education of Long Island Presbytery. He serves as an Elder and Mission Committee Chair of First Presbyterian Church, Freeport, NY., PRECIS Dale Cannon's Six Ways of Being Religious offers a typology by which to make sense of the world's religious diversity and to facilitate interreligious dialogue. Despite some promising Innovations, [...]

Hispanic/Latino Christianity is rarely seen on its own terms; most often, it is confused with Latin American theology. Hispanic Christianity offers a source which might provide an alternate source of energy in treating church decline, and connects individuals to the global nature of Christian faith in the US. Accepting these challenges prevents believers from exchanging their commitment to ecumenism for ethnic and class entrenchment.

Astute as ever, my friend Robert Louis Wilken, the distinguished church historian, is impressed by 'We Hold These Truths,' but he also admits to having some problems with the declaration [...]

Ecumenism, which began when the World Council of Churches was founded in 1948, is traveling in several unpredictable directions. Jews and Christians are beginning to meet for mutual discussion of the scriptures they share. Local congregations are accommodating Christians outside a single denominational tradition. Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians are demonstrating the importance of group prayer in ecumenical discussions. The Orthodox churches remind the World Council of its roots in tradition and the aesthetic breadth of Christianity.

Missed opportunity When the second assembly of the World Council of Churches covened in Evanston, outside Chicago, in August 1954, two Pentecostal leaders were present. The first was David J. [...]

There are many ironies associated with the ecumenical movement because the very search for Christian unity leads to disunity as different fractions disagree as to the positions of that unity. Some sources of disagreement concern the levels of ecumenism whether local, global or national; different belief systems; aims and objectives; and accepting diversity. These aspects limit the success of ecumenism even while they are integral parts of the movement.

The ecumenical movement was initially created and supported by the laity but the trend toward institutionalizing in the churches has led to an alienation of the laity, making them objects of the churches' programs rather than actors. Ecumenism is in transition and the combined forces of the institutionalized churches and the laity need to be recognized. Some characteristics of this transition are the creation of contextual theology that recognizes the links between society and church, lack of toleration toward social and economic injustice and increased global communication.

Lay persons are the vanguard of intercultural living because they are often exposed to a diversity of cultures. However, the churches should train their laity to be accepting of other cultures and religions to overcome gender, cultural, faith and language barriers to created a 'whole inhabited earth' perspective for the ecumenical movement. Theology is a good vehicle for teaching laity and so should foster the global perspective, actively combat gender discrimination, introduce cultural diversity awareness and involve the laity through Bible study groups and other interactive programs.

The ecumenical movement was originally founded on the labor of the laity but current ecumenical efforts have been distanced from the laity through diversification and institutionalization. Some ecumenical movement activists support the exclusion of the laity or fail to see the need to educate the laity to be active participants in the ecumenical movement. An active laity involves communities in the ecumenical movement on a daily basis, making it part of their lives rather than a distant global entity and so efforts to educate and involve lay persons are important.

This paper is a sociological study of leadership in a Canadian social (religious) movement. Specifically, it is a study of a leadership coalition between ecumenists and entrepreneurs in the church union movement (1904-25) that produced the United Church of Canada. What is demonstrated is that representatives of two groups with dissimilar ideologies collaborated to achieve a common goal - a national organizational merger.

The integrity of creation cannot be achieved until men and women are empowered equally. Women are the primary sufferers of poverty, economic oppression and racism while they are also excluded from most decision-making processes within both governments and churches. Programs like the Development Education Centre in Enugu, Nigeria work to encourage poor women to participate actively in changing their situations through stronger leadership and self-help initiatives. Full participation of women will bring the world closer to the integrity of creation and the end of oppression.

A 1968 World Council of Churches Youth Department position paper, 'Youth in God's World' has influenced youth participation in church activities and decision making with its 1960s philosophy based on an outspoken, active youth. However, 1984 was the first year when the World Council of Churches reached out and actively involved students and youth in their ecumenical activities and supported those who were already active. Youth participation is mainly focused on social justice issues and their activities should be supported.

The ecumenical youth movement needs to address the needs and concerns of 1990s youth while counteracting the prevailing philosophy that they are expendable. Youth are often the gauge of problems within the church because they are more sensitive but are affected by many issues that will become problems for the rest of the congregation such as exclusivity and devaluing of participants. Young people are willing and able to work for the movement but they need to be given a sense of their value and their essential contribution to the movement.

Local ecumenical projects in England, congregations formed of more than one denomination, find many problems in providing for the religious needs of all their members. Some churches alternate the services each Sunday to allow each denomination to participate in their own ceremonies. A consistent problem is the inability of Catholics to share the eucharist with non-Catholics. This division is also reflected in all Christian churches which attempt to create unity in Christianity. Therefore, the solutions of the projects can provide guidance for the work of the ecumenical movement.

Bartholomew came and went, and left in his wake a deeply dispirited company of those who pray for reconciliation between East and West. It seems only a little while ago, [...]