Local Unity and Global Communion: An Analysis of the Ecumenical Scene in African Roman Catholicism.

Correlating the general ecumenical directory from Rome and that of the Southern African region, both within the Catholic Church, the current study tends to bring to the fore, once again, the tension that exists between the local and universal spheres of the church. If the tension is not properly balanced up, the pursuit of global vision might tend to dwarf grassroots initiatives; thus engendering a dilemma of interests or a split in fidelities, especially among young churches like those in Africa. To realise their full essence, as I intend to posit here, however, both global policies and local praxis should mutually complement each other; empowering genuine and enriching diversity at the grass roots without disconnecting same from the global goal of the ecumenical movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]