[Stuttgart, Germany • ELCIC news] Bishop Munib A. Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) has been elected President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) by the Eleventh Assembly here, a gathering of 418 delegates and others from the LWF member churches.

Three hundred and sixty registered delegates voted, representing 140 member churches from 79 countries. Rt Rev. Dr Younan received 300 votes affirming his election, 23 against; there were 37 abstentions. There were no other nominees.

Younan, 59, succeeds Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who has been President of the LWF since the organization’s last Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada, in 2003.

Ordained in 1976 after study in Palestine and gaining a degree from Helsinki [Finland] University, Younan was a youth pastor and teacher in his homeland. From 1976 to 1979 he was pastor of the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem and he has also served parishes in Beit Jala and Ramallah. He studied at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and he holds an honorary doctorate, granted by Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.

The president-elect has headed his church body since 1998 and was the third Palestinian bishop of the church founded by Germans in the nineteenth century and previously led by clergy from Germany. A member of the LWF since 1974, the ELCJHL has about 3,000 members.

The bishop was the first to translate the Augsburg Confession, a key document of the Lutheran Church, into Arabic.

Younan is a former vice-president of the LWF, is president of the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches and serves with three Jerusalem patriarchs and nine other bishops on the International Christian Committee of Jerusalem. He is also a co-founder of the Council of Religious Institutions in the Holy Land, made up of the two chief rabbis of Israel, heads of the local churches, the Chief Judge of the Islamic Court in Palestine and other Muslim leaders.

He is the author of Witnessing for Peace, a book about the search for peace in his homeland and numerous articles on churches and the search for peace in the Holy Land.

His wife, Suad, is Director of the Helen Keller School in the Jerusalem suburb of Beit Hanina, which educates visually-impaired children. She is also the chair of the women’s committee of the ELCJHL.

The couple has three children and one grandchild.

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See the Assembly Web site for more information and resources including the theme video for downloading and other video reflections; news stories, features, photos and blog feeds; the handbook, Assembly Updates and Study Materials: www.lwf-assembly.org

About 1,000 people - including 418 delegates from member churches - are participating in the Assembly which takes place in the Liederhalle convention center in Stuttgart. Participants also include invited ecumenical observers, official visitors, interpreters and translators, stewards, members of the LWF staff and co-opted staff, accredited journalists and volunteers. The event is hosted by the Lutheran Church in Württemberg.

The Assembly is the highest decision making body of the LWF, held approximately every six years. The last Assembly was held in Winnipeg, Canada in July 2003 on the theme For the healing of the world.

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF now has 145 member churches in 79 countries around the world, representing more than 70 million Christians. LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication and the various aspects of mission and development. Its secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

By Chris Meehan, News Editor and Chris Dorn, Reformed Church in America

Pope Benedict XVI has been one of several church leaders who have acknowledged the newly organized World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC). The pope sent a letter to the new organization as well as a representative of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The message was read to delegates to the Uniting General Council who are attending the founding meeting of the WCRC in Grand Rapids, a city in the Midwest United States. Representatives of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council agreed on 18 June to merge to form a new organization representing 230 churches worldwide. The meeting concludes on 26 June.

Gregory Fairbanks, the pontifical representative, read the letter from the pope. "The theme of this gathering reflects the inspiration and spirit of unification. Out of two communions has come one," Fairbanks said before reading the letter.

In the letter addressed to Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and Peter Borgdorff, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council, the leader of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church expressed his "warm greetings" and "prayerful good wishes" to the delegates assembled at the Uniting General Council.

In his letter, Benedict XVI affirmed the theme of the council, "Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace," words drawn from the Letter to the Ephesians attributed to the Apostle Paul (4:3). The Roman Pontiff assured the delegates that the "Lord will never abandon his disciples in the quest for unity," and commended the Reformed churches for the "ecumenical progress" signaled by the emergence of their new communion.

He concluded his remarks with the prayer that the commitment to Christian unity expressed through the formation of WCRC would "serve as a sign of hope and encouragement to all those who strive for that full unity which the Lord wills for his followers."

"This is really a welcome signal that the Vatican has taken interest in what we are doing," said Borgdorff.

Jerry Pillay, the newly elected president of the WCRC, said that the letter and the fact that the Vatican sent it was an important gesture of unity "that speaks volumes" for the possibility of further interactions between the WCRC and the Vatican in the future.

By Jerry van Marter, Uniting General Council correspondent

More than 80 million Reformed Christians in 108 countries around the world formally united Friday when the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) approved articles of union and a constitution bringing them together as the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).

The merger of the two organizations took place at the Uniting General Council, which is meeting through June 28 on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the northeastern United States.

Although the long-awaited merger went through, afternoon discussion on passage of a constitution and bylaws grew lively and took longer than planned over the issue of representation of women on committees and in leadership positions in the new body.

"We had a very vigorous and intense conversation. It may have taken us longer than we thought it would," but God remained with delegates and the Holy Spirit helped to guide the discussion, said Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of WARC who chaired the discussions for his organization that led to the formation of the WCRC.

By late afternoon, the two separate ecumenical bodies became one. Afterward, delegates gathered around tables to sign the documents passed by the assembly.

REC was represented by 79 delegates from 28 of its member churches. WARC had 301 delegates from 132 member churches present.

Kirkpatrick noted that 73 participants, including 46 delegates, were denied visas to attend the event by the US government. "We need to acknowledge the deep pain we feel about the absence of these brothers and sisters," he said.

The daylong series of events included separate meetings of the REC and WARC, an opening worship service, recognitions of several leaders who have been instrumental in the unification process, an exchange of greetings and gifts between WCRC officials and Native American leaders and a gala reception celebrating the union.

The articles of union affirm "that such an act of union is implemented not only in order to carry out the major aims for which both organizations have existed separately, but also in order to respond to God's call for service in the church and the world."

The 64-year-old REC -- with 41 member churches in 25 countries representing 12 million members -- approved the union unanimously with no debate.

It was a different story with WARC, which dates back to 1875 and numbers 214 member churches in 107 countries representing 75 million members. The intense discussion over representation by women was led by delegates seeking assurance that the organization's longstanding commitments to racial and women's justice will go forward.

Speaking for the Pre-Assembly Women's Conference, the Rev. Dora Arce-Valentin of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba, said, "During these past years we have seen many advances in the role and status of women -- we must not retreat."

Those underlying tensions rose again during consideration of the draft constitution Friday afternoon. After more than 90 minutes of debate, the group amended the document to provide that "when a church sends four or more delegates (to General Council meetings), half shall be women." The drafting committee's recommendation was one-third women.

In a related action designed to ensure the participation of youth as well as women, the group increased from two to three the number of delegates accorded to churches with less than 100,000 members. Larger delegations were already mandated to include at least one delegate 30 years of age or younger.

Some delegates expressed hope that the new organization would make sure to show sensitivity to its member churches as it moves forward.

Charity Majiza, of the Uniting Church in Australia, referred to the suspension of three South African churches. In 1972 WARC declared apartheid a sin and those churches that supported it heretical. She sought assurance that WCRC would address the "woundedness in our separation and not gloss over it."

Kirkpatrick responded that racial justice is "a bedrock commitment" that will go forward, noting that the REC has committed to support of the Accra Confession: Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth, adopted by WARC in 2004 that reaffirms its commitment to global economic and climate justice.

Peter Borgdorff, president of REC, called the day's events a "construction zone," proof that God is using all Reformed Christians to "build a new spiritual house for God."

Kirkpatrick said, "I do believe it is God's intention that we live together in unity and I thank God for this momentous day -- in which we are not just called to be more cooperative, but to be one in Jesus Christ."

[Vatican City • VIS] The annual meeting of the Joint Committee for Dialogue of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue among the Monotheistic Religions, was held in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo on 23 and 24 February.

At the end of the meeting Sheikh Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Wasil, "wakil" (representative in juridical issues) of al-Azhar and president of the Permanent Committee for Dialogue, and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, signed a joint declaration.

The declaration explains how "the participants were received by Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, grand imam of al-Azhar, whom Cardinal Tauran thanked for having condemned the acts of violence in which six Christians and a Muslim policeman died in Naga Hamadi, Egypt, during the Orthodox Christmas, and for having expressed solidarity with the victims' families and reaffirmed the equality of rights and duties of all citizens, regardless of their religious confession. For his part, Sheikh Tantawi said he only did what he thought his duty in the face of those tragic events".

During its meeting the joint committee examined the theme: "The phenomenon of confessional violence: understanding the phenomenon and its causes, and proposing solutions with particular reference to the role of religions in this field".

At the end of the meeting, the participants agreed on the following recommendations: "to pay greater attention to the fact that the manipulation of religion for political or other ends can be a source of violence; to avoid discrimination on the basis of religious identity; to open hearts to mutual forgiveness and reconciliation, which is a necessary condition for peaceful and fruitful coexistence".

They also called "for similarities to be recognised and differences respected as the prerequisite of a culture of dialogue, based on shared values; for both sides again to commit themselves to recognising and respecting the dignity of each human being, without distinction of ethnicity or religion; for religious discrimination in all fields to be opposed (just laws should guarantee fundamental equality); for ideals of justice, solidarity and co-operation to be promoted in order to ensure a peaceful and prosperous life for everyone".

The participants likewise undertook "to oppose with determination any act that tends to create tension, division and conflict in societies; to promote a culture of mutual respect and dialogue through education in families, schools, churches and mosques, spreading a spirit of fraternity between all persons and the community; to oppose attacks against religions by social communications media, especially satellite channels, considering the dangerous effects these transmissions can have on social cohesion and peace among religious communities".

Finally, the members of the joint committee called for steps to be taken "to ensure that the preaching of religious leaders, as well as school education and textbooks, do not contains declarations or references to historical events that, directly or indirectly, may arouse violent reactions among the followers of different religions".

The joint committee also announced that its next meeting will be held in Rome on 23 and 24 February 2011.

Prot. No. 213

Our most holy Orthodox Church today commemorates its own feast day, and – from this historical and martyric See of the Ecumenical Patriarchate – the Mother Church of Constantinople directs its blessing, love and concern to all of its faithful and dedicated spiritual children throughout the world, inviting them to concelebrate in prayer.

Blessed be the name of the Lord! Those who endeavored over the ages to suppress the Church through various visible and invisible persecutions; those who sought to falsify the Church with their heretical teachings; those who wanted to silence the Church, depriving it of its voice and witness; they all proved unsuccessful. The clouds of Martyrs, the tears of the Ascetics, and the prayers of the Saints protect the Church spiritually, while the Comforter and Spirit of Truth leads it to the fullness of truth.

With a sense of duty and responsibility, despite its hurdles and problems, as the First-Throne Church of Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate cares about protecting and establishing the unity of the Orthodox Church, in order that with one voice and in one heart we may confess the Orthodox faith of our Fathers in every age and even in our times. For, Orthodoxy is not a museum treasure that must be preserved; it is a breath of life that must be transmitted and invigorate all people. Orthodoxy is always contemporary, so long as we promote it with humility and interpret it in light of the existential quests and needs of humanity in each historical period and cultural circumstance.

To this purpose, Orthodoxy must be in constant dialogue with the world. The Orthodox Church does not fear dialogue because truth is not afraid of dialogue. On the contrary, if Orthodoxy is enclosed within itself and not in dialogue with those outside, it will both fail in its mission and no longer be the “catholic” and “ecumenical” Church. Instead, it will become an introverted and self-contained group, a “ghetto” on the margins of history. This is why the great Fathers of the Church never feared dialogue with the spiritual culture of their age – indeed even with the pagan idolaters and philosophers of their world – thereby influencing and transforming the civilization of their time and offering us a truly ecumenical Church.

Today, Orthodoxy is called to continue this dialogue with the outside world in order to provide a witness and the life-giving breath of its faith. However, this dialogue cannot reach the outside world unless it first passes through all those that bear the Christian name. Thus, we must first converse as Christians among ourselves in order to resolve our differences, in order that our witness to the outside world may be credible. Our endeavors for the union of all Christians is the will and command of our Lord, who before His Passion prayed to His Father “that all [namely, His disciples] may be one, so that the world may believe that You sent me.” (John 17.21) It is not possible for the Lord to agonize over the unity of His disciples and for us to remain indifferent about the unity of all Christians. This would constitute criminal betrayal and transgression of His divine commandment.

It is precisely for these reasons that, with the mutual agreement and participation of all local Orthodox Churches, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has for many decades conducted official Panorthodox theological dialogues with the larger Christian Churches and Confessions. The aim of these dialogues is, in a spirit of love, to discuss whatever divides Christians both in terms of faith as well as in terms of the organization and life of the Church.

These dialogues, together with every effort for peaceful and fraternal relations of the Orthodox Church with other Christians, are unfortunately challenged today in an unacceptably fanatical way – at least by the standards of a genuinely Orthodox ethos – by certain circles that exclusively claim for themselves the title of zealot and defender of Orthodoxy. As if all the Patriarchs and Sacred Synods of the Orthodox Churches throughout the world, who unanimously decided on and continue to support these dialogues, were not Orthodox. Yet, these opponents of every effort for the restoration of unity among Christians raise themselves above Episcopal Synods of the Church to the dangerous point of creating schisms within the Church.

In their polemical argumentation, these critics of the restoration of unity among Christians do not even hesitate to distort reality in order to deceive and arouse the faithful. Thus, they are silent about the fact that theological dialogues are conducted by unanimous decision of all Orthodox Churches, instead attacking the Ecumenical Patriarchate alone. They disseminate false rumors that union between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches is imminent, while they know well that the differences discussed in these theological dialogues remain numerous and require lengthy debate; moreover, union is not decided by theological commissions but by Church Synods. They assert that the Pope will supposedly subjugate the Orthodox, because they latter submit to dialogue with the Roman Catholics! They condemn those who conduct these dialogues as allegedly “heretics” and “traitors” of Orthodoxy, purely and simply because they converse with non-Orthodox, with whom they share the treasure and truth of our Orthodox faith. They speak condescendingly of every effort for reconciliation among divided Christians and restoration of their unity as purportedly being “the pan-heresy of ecumenism” without providing the slightest evidence that, in its contacts with non-Orthodox, the Orthodox Church has abandoned or denied the doctrines of the Ecumenical Councils and of the Church Fathers.

Beloved children in the Lord, Orthodoxy has no need of either fanaticism or bigotry to protect itself. Whoever believes that Orthodoxy has the truth does not fear dialogue, because truth has never been endangered by dialogue. By contrast, when in our day all people strive to resolve their differences through dialogue, Orthodoxy cannot proceed with intolerance and extremism. You should have utmost confidence in your Mother Church. For the Mother Church has over the ages preserved and transmitted Orthodoxy even to other nations. And today, the Mother Church is struggling amid difficult circumstances to maintain Orthodoxy vibrant and venerable throughout the world.

From the Ecumenical Patriarchate, this sacred Center of Orthodoxy, we embrace all of you lovingly and bless you paternally, praying that you may journey in health through the holy period of contrition and asceticism known as Holy and Great Lent in order that you may become worthy of celebrating the pure Passion and glorious Resurrection of our Savior Lord with all faithful Orthodox Christians throughout the world.

Sunday of Orthodoxy 2010

+ Bartholomew of Constantinople
Fervent supplicant to God for all

+ Constantine of Derkon
+ Evangelos of Perge
+ Kallinikos of Lystra
+ Michael of Austria
+ Alexios of Atlanta
+ Joseph of Proikonnisos
+ Demetrios of Sevasteia
+ Irenaios of Myriophyton and Peristasis
+ Chrysostom of Myra
+ Emmanuel of France
+ Makarios of Gortyna and Arkadia
+ Amphilochios of New Zealand

by Peter Kenny

[Geneva • ENI] The Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomeos I, a key leader for the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, has written a Lenten encyclical that stresses the need for greater unity for churches, and counters accusations from some of his bishops that ecumenism is heresy.

At the same time, a letter from the head of the U.S. National Council of Churches to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shows that Bartholomeos also faces pressure in Turkey. His See is in Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, and his official title is "Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch."

Quoting from the 17 February letter of the church grouping's general secretary, Michael Kinnamon, to Clinton, a press statement on the council's Web site says, "The government of Turkey may wish to minimise the significance of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul but the National Council of Churches asserts that U.S. Christians regard Patriarch Bartholomeos 'as a world leader whose spiritual and moral authority has influenced us all".

The press statement says that Kinnamon urged Clinton to use the moral authority of the United States to assure the safety of the Patriarch, who is, "isolated and often threatened with violence" in Turkey.

In his Lenten letter that will be read in Orthodox churches worldwide on 21 February, Bartholomeos says, "Orthodoxy must be in constant dialogue with the world. The Orthodox Church does not fear dialogue because truth is not afraid of dialogue."

The encyclical will be read on the day known as the Feast of Orthodoxy. In it Bartholmeos notes, "If Orthodoxy is enclosed within itself and not in dialogue with those outside, it will both fail in its mission and no longer be the 'catholic' and 'ecumenical' Church. Instead, it will become an introverted and self-contained group, a 'ghetto" on the margins of history."

A senior Orthodox official told Ecumenical News International that the Patriarch's letter is significant because it unequivocally states a commitment to the ecumenical movement, and does so in the face of many pressures from church circles bitterly opposed to global church unity.

During 2009, a group of Orthodox clergy in Greece, led by three senior archbishops, published a manifesto pledging to resist all ecumenical ties with Roman Catholics and Protestants. The group said, "The only way our communion with heretics can be restored is if they renounce their fallacy and repent."

The senior clergy behind the manifesto, who fall under the jurisdiction of the Constantinople partriachate, said in their document that they wished to preserve, "irremovably and without alteration" the Orthodox faith that the Early Church had "demarcated and entrenched," and to shun communication, "with those who innovate on matters of the faith".

By contrast, in his Lenten letter, Bartholomeos says, "Today, Orthodoxy is called to continue this dialogue with the outside world in order to provide a witness and the life-giving breath of its faith."

He continues, "However, this dialogue cannot reach the outside world unless it first passes through all those that bear the Christian name. Thus, we must first converse as Christians among ourselves in order to resolve our differences, in order that our witness to the outside world may be credible."

Many Orthodox churches belong to the World Council of Churches, a grouping of some 560 million Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant Christians. The general secretary of the WCC, the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, said in a statement on 19 February that he was, "very grateful to the Ecumenical Patriarch for his strong commitment to dialogue and the unity of the Church".

Tveit added, "This encyclical reminds me of another famous text: the 1920 encyclical letter in which the [then] Ecumenical Patriarch proposed the foundation of a fellowship of churches, providing a major impulse for the formation of the WCC."

The letter of the U.S. church council leader tells Secretary of State Clinton, "The Ecumenical Patriarch now experiences threats to his safety that require police protection and barbed-wire barriers." It also describes the situation other Christians in Turkey face, "His All Holiness himself has told a recent 60 Minutes interviewer that Greek Christians in Turkey are treated as second class citizens with diminished rights and freedom of expression."

"We are grieved that his [Bartholomeos'] safety and freedom are constantly threatened," Kinnamon told Clinton. Writing on behalf of the 36 member communions of the National Council of Churches, he added, "Despite the many traditions and histories that our member churches bring to our council, we are emphatically agreed that a threat to the Ecumenical Patriarchate is a threat to Christians everywhere."

• Full text of Bartholomeos' letter

• NCC letter to Clinton

Cardinal asks dialogue partners if an ecumenical catechism might work

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Vatican official has floated the idea of a shared "ecumenical catechism" as one of the potential fruits of 40 years of dialogue among Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and members of the Reformed churches.

"We have affirmed our common foundation in Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity as expressed in our common creed and in the doctrine of the first ecumenical councils," Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, told representatives of the churches.

Opening a three-day symposium at the Vatican to brainstorm on the future of ecumenism, Cardinal Kasper said it is essential "to keep alive the memory of our achievements" in dialogue, educate the faithful about how much has been accomplished and prepare a new generation to carry on the work.

He said the members of his council "proposed an ecumenical catechism that would be written in consultation with our partners," but "we do not yet have any idea how such a catechism could be structured and written."

One thing for sure, he said, is that there is a need for "an ecumenism of basics that identifies, reinforces and deepens the common foundation" of faith in Christ and belief in the tenets of the creed. The churches may hold those positions officially, but if their members do not hold firmly to the basics of Christian faith, the dialogue cannot move forward, the cardinal said.

Cardinal Kasper, a theologian who will be 77 in March and has led the council for nine years, also said that ecumenical dialogue "is perhaps in danger of becoming a matter for specialists and thus of moving away from the grassroots."

He called for "a people-centered ecumenism" that would support and give new energy to the theological dialogues.

The symposium was a follow-up to the publication in October of "Harvesting the Fruits," a book complied by Cardinal Kasper and his staff summarizing the results of 40 years of official Catholic dialogue with the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Methodist Council and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

As for questions that still must be tackled in order for Christians to reach full unity and be able to share the Eucharist, the cardinal identified two basic areas: a common understanding of the church and its structure; and a common approach to applying the Gospel to modern social and moral concerns without falling into relativism.

Ethical issues, such as homosexuality and women's equality, not only divide churches, he said, they raise more fundamental questions for modern and post-modern society, such as, "What is man, and what does it mean to be a man or woman in God's plan?"

In the area of church structure and ministry, he said, the dialogues have seen progress toward a common agreement on the sacramental nature of ordination and on apostolic succession in the ministry of bishops, and have taken initial steps toward discussing the primacy of the bishop of Rome, the pope.

But on a more basic level, the dialogues must get into "not only what is the church, but where is the church? Has God given his church a specific structure or has he left the church to find its own structure, in such a way that a pluralism of structures is possible?" Cardinal Kasper asked.

The cardinal said the Vatican needs to better explain to its dialogue partners the Catholic conviction that "the Catholic Church is the church of Christ and that the Catholic Church is the true church," even while "there exist many and important elements of the church of Christ outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church."

The Catholic Church does believe "there are deficits in the other churches," he said. "Yet on another level there are deficits, or rather wounds stemming from division and wounds deriving from sin, also in the Catholic Church."

Ecumenical dialogue is the place where all Christians "learn to grow and mature in their faithfulness to Christ," he said, and as each moves closer to Christ, they naturally will move closer to each other.

WCC dialogue questions relevant for Mennonites says Neufeld

by Steve Plenert, Mennonite World Conference News Service

[Strasbourg, France] How and where does the global church discuss issues such as the nature and mission of the church, sources of authority and moral discernment in the churches? One long-standing forum for important discussions such as these is the Faith and Order Plenary Commission of the World Council of Churches. This body, while not officially decision-making, gathered in Kolympari, Crete, 7-13 October 2009.

The topics mentioned were the key themes of the conference under the heading, “Called to be the One Church.” More than 150 participants from many countries and a wide range of church traditions gathered to listen, discuss and dialogue.

Mennonite World Conference was also invited to participate. Alfred Neufeld of Paraguay, who is the chair of MWC’s Faith and Life Commission, represented MWC. He made the long trip to the beautiful setting in the Mediterranean Sea to hear what might be relevant for the global Mennonite fellowship.

“I was impressed about the seriousness of the theological discussion and the very earnest search for unity and agreement in theological issues. In Mennonite circles lately there is great hesitation about dogmatics and creedal discussions. But creeds and theology are the software according to which to a large extent churches tick. The search for unity in the body of Christ definitely also has to do with a search for believing and confessing together,” says Neufeld.

His comments are echoed by the opening words of Patriarch Bartholomew who stated, “Because unity is finally a gift of God, it demands a profound sense of humility and not any prideful insistence." His call to the "never-ending search" for unity of the church, also pointed out that it "is also an ever-unfolding journey."

Marianela de la Paz Cot, of the Episcopal Church of Cuba, described interchurch and interfaith dialogue as sources and meeting points of opposing views and potential polarization, but she argued that this provides “an opportunity to develop a deeper unity.”

The argument raised familiar questions on the issue of interfaith and interchurch dialogue: When must respect for others' beliefs give way to a prophetic critique of idolatry? At what point is faith in Christ compromised?

Neufeld comments, “I am sure that the three big topics of Faith and Order - moral discernment in the church, sources of authority, and the nature and mission of the church - are as relevant for Mennonites as for any other Christian denomination. Moral discernment on peace issues and gender issues has been a topic for decades for us. Till now we are far too humble to discuss forces of authority or even use the word 'authority.'

“Structural and sacramental unity do not seem to be key issues at this moment in the Faith and Order movement,” says Neufeld. Participants noted a tendency to give more space to an "ecclesiology from below" based on the concrete experience of "being church in a particular context" rather than describing the church theoretically "from above.”

Neufeld suggests that “reconciled diversity, humble recognition of the limitations of our own denominational convictions and traditions, as well as an appreciation for the gifts in history entrusted to the different denominations seems to be a way not to fear dialogue. The better dialogue partners are informed and convinced about their convictions, the more free they can speak with each other and to each other.”

Mennonites have things to learn from and contribute to gatherings such as the Faith and Order Plenary Commission as the themes are clearly relevant to our on-going task of being faithful to our calling as the church of Christ in the world.

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Mennonite World Conference is a communion (Koinonia) of Anabaptist-related churches linked to one another in a worldwide community of faith for fellowship, worship, service, and witness.

by Dan Dyck

[Mennonite Church Canada • Winnipeg] Mennonite Church Canada leaders have logged another event towards the denomination’s collective “1,000 Acts of Peace” initiative.

On Oct. 17, Bruce Adema, Director of Canadian Ministries for the bi-national CRC and current president of the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC), and Robert J. Suderman, General Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada hosted a Symposium on War and Peace together with the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) of Canada at Bethel Mennonite Church in Winnipeg.

The Symposium was the product of discussions between Suderman and Adema, after a May 2008 CCC event in which Suderman presented a paper entitled Faith and the Public Square: The church’s witness to peace (see www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1203).

The CRC has a long standing tradition of just war theology: war should be used only as a last resort for the defence of the weak and vulnerable who are unable to defend themselves, and military service to one’s country is an obligation because “government is a positive force in our society and divinely ordained,” said Adema – though duty to obey government is neither absolute nor unconditional, but subject to God’s law.

If any conclusion can be reached, it would be that the CRC practices “selective pacifism” (the use of weapons of mass destruction – such as nuclear weapons – is never just), while Mennonites do not justify the use of violence even when it promises to be redemptive.

Adema said that CRC adherents live in a tension: in one hand they hold a deep desire to “never want war,” and in the other hand they hold a desire to stand up for the weak and vulnerable – using redemptive, violent force by serving one’s country’s military if no other solution is evident. But, “If just war happens, we have not been effective agents of peace,” he acknowledged.

Seating arrangements for the 43 participants mixed Mennonites and Christian Reformists – and generated much passionate conversation when the participants were paired up and assigned the task of creating a Remembrance Day service palatable to both denominations. A common theme that emerged was that such a service would need to focus on lament for all war dead rather than honouring only those who gave up their lives in military service.

Position papers from each denomination were also presented. Herman Keizer, a theologically trained, retired military chaplain from Grand Rapids, Mich. and long time high level pentagon ethical advisor said, “... as we walk through some of our history on war and peace, we have gained a deeper appreciation of the peace churches and what they can contribute to our efforts to be peace makers,” citing a recommendation from a 2006 Synod calling for the CRC to work more closely with peace churches and learn from one another.

Keizer also noted doctrinal statements from a 1939 Synod which dictate that “... as a general rule, the orders of the government are to be obeyed,” and “... a Christian who cannot be certain that his government is waging war justly ought therefore to do as ordered.” Moreover, “in a sinful and imperfect world, it may even be necessary to submit to an unjust law.” But conditions that define the justified use of military force were surprisingly absent from the 1939 document, Keizer said. The 1939 document eschews both militarism and pacifism.

With a Purple Heart pinned to his lapel, Keizer advocated for a re-examination of attitudes and conventional weapons. “In WWII only 20% of the fighting force shot to kill, today that is up to 85%... We, the US and Canada, have trained and have fielded the deadliest and most lethal force in the history of war fighting. I am concerned because soldiers are more concerned with killing than being killed,” he said.

Helmut Harder, Emeritus Professor of Theology, Canadian Mennonite University, and former General Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada, presented a paper that addressed the question, of how Mennonites have responded to contemporary challenges on issues of war and peace, and how this has shaped and reshaped its identity. In a Q&A after the presentation, challenges to absolute pacifism were rewarded by Harder’s simple explanation that “extermination of life is always wrong.” Keizer’s and Harder’s papers can be found at www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1198.

Christian Reformists would not disagree with Harder’s assertion that “We believe that peace is the will of God” and is most fully revealed in Jesus. However, exegetical differences showed fissures on how peace can be achieved; scripture citations, such as Jesus’ claim that he came to bring peace by the sword (Matthew 10:34), were filtered through both CRC and Mennonite lenses. Mennonites interpret this story as the suffering servant model: Jesus sought to bring peace be making himself a sacrifice of the sword, not by wielding the sword, while the CRC understand that the text does not forbid the use of violent force.

But just how far towards the Jesus model is it possible for humans to move? CRC theology intimates that this is a complex issue that requires a carefully nuanced response – a simple answer would not do it justice. But the hope is for ultimate and lasting peace, said Adema. Mennonites see it as a goal to ever strive toward.

The event inspired better understanding between the two denominations – and perhaps a renewed valuing of those who have different understandings of peace and how to achieve it. Many Christian Reformed members have very recent memories from World War II that continues to shape their thinking. Some Mennonites also share that story, but more are shaped by a collective 500 year history of migration prompted by violent religious persecution –illustrated when Janet Plenert Executive Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada witness, read excerpts from The Martyr’s Mirror.

Jeremy Segsto, a CRC representative in grade 12 at a Mennonite school said, “Before today I saw very different and distinct views of Christianity but they’re actually very similar and they’re exactly the same in the most important aspect of it in that we all have the same goal in mind.”

Herman Keizer expressed a desire to learn more about the Mennonite history and practice of conscientious objection to war, and could see “selective” conscientious objection as a possibility in cases where a war would be deemed unjust. “[This] is very disturbing for the government because it could mean they declared war and nobody showed up,” he said to chuckles from others.

Natasha Plenert, a Mennonite student at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), observed that among her peers it was very easy for her to write-off people with non-pacifist viewpoints as being “pro-war.” “There’s a very big distinction to be made between not thinking war is wrong and thinking war is the right answer.”

Janelle Dykxhoorn is a CMU student who grew up in CRC schools and churches. “I found out today how much going to a Mennonite university has already changed my thinking. In the discussion we’ve had I felt like I was half Mennonite and half CRC.”

Both denominations led in common worship that framed the opening and closing of the day. Before adjourning for a communal supper meal, Adema reflected in his worship mediation that, “When I look in your Mennonite eyes, I see Christ looking back at me.”

[Canterbury • ACNS4675] Grateful for the gracious guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order held its first meeting in Canterbury, England from 1 to 8 December 2009.

The Commission has been established by the Lambeth Conference, the Primates’ Meeting, and the Anglican Consultative Council. It builds on previous work done by the Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations, and the Windsor Continuation Group. It reports to the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion.

The Commission devoted this first meeting to developing a vision that gives expression to its mandate. It sees its role as being a communicative and connection-making body which models and promotes communication and connection-making in the Anglican Communion, within a confident and vibrant expression of our shared faith and life, participating by God's grace in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.

In addition to outlining areas of longer-term work, the Commission committed itself to five immediate tasks:

1. to undertake a reflection on the Instruments of Communion and relationships among them;
2. to make a study of the definition and recognition of 'Anglican Churches' and develop guidelines for bishops in the Communion;
3. to provide supporting material to assist in promoting the Anglican Covenant;
4. to draft proposals for guided processes of ‘reception’ (how developments and agreements are evaluated, and how appropriate insights are brought into the life of the churches);
5. to consider the question of ‘transitivity’ (how ecumenical agreements in one region or Province may apply in others).

These tasks, which will be taken forward by working groups consulting electronically between meetings, aim to strengthen the unity, faith and order of the Communion.

An Episcopal election in Los Angeles, which remains to be confirmed or rejected by The Episcopal Church, took place during the meeting and was discussed by the Commission. It noted the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury that ‘the bishops of the Communion have collectively acknowledged that a period of gracious restraint in respect of actions which are contrary to the mind of the Communion is necessary if our bonds of mutual affection are to hold’. The Commission expressed the fervent hope that ‘gracious restraint’ would be exercised by The Episcopal Church in this instance.

Members of the Commission were enriched by sharing accounts of the life of the Anglican Church in each of their own contexts. The Commission also greatly valued an afternoon spent with the Archbishop of Canterbury, during which he shared his own vision for the work of the Commission and his hope that it might act creatively in addressing vital issues for the Church and the world.

Canterbury Cathedral sustained the Commission throughout the meeting through its ministry of prayer and hospitality. The Commission was also strengthened by sharing in daily Eucharist and in Bible study. The Commission is grateful for the hospitality of the International Study Centre and the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral; of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the staff of Lambeth Palace; and of the Nikaean Club which hosted a dinner at Lambeth. The Commission also expressed its gratitude to the staff of the Anglican Communion Office.

The next meeting will take place at the end of November 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Participants:

The Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, Primate of Burundi and Chair of Commission
The Rt Revd Dr Georges Titre Ande, Congo
The Ven. Professor Dapo Asaju, Nigeria
The Revd Canon Professor Paul Avis, England
The Rt Revd Philip D Baji, Tanzania
The Revd Canon Dr John Gibaut, World Council of Churches
The Rt Revd Howard Gregory, West Indies
The Revd Dr Katherine Grieb, Episcopal Church (USA)
The Revd Canon Clement Janda, Sudan
The Revd Sarah Rowland Jones, Southern Africa
The Revd Dr Edison Muhindo Kalengyo, Uganda
The Rt Revd Victoria Matthews, Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
The Revd Canon Dr Charlotte Methuen, England
The Revd Dr Simon Oliver, Wales/England
The Rt Revd Professor Stephen Pickard, Australia
Dr Andrew Pierce, Ireland
The Revd Canon Dr Michael Nai Chiu Poon, South East Asia
The Revd Dr Jeremiah Guen Seok Yang, Korea
The Rt Revd Tito Zavala, Bishop of Chile, Southern Cone
The Revd Joanna Udal, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Secretary for Anglican Communion Affairs
The Revd Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director for Unity, Faith and Order
Mr Neil Vigers, of the Anglican Communion Office.

Mandate of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order

The Standing Commission shall have responsibility:

• to promote the deepening of Communion between the Churches of the Anglican Communion, and between those Churches and the other Churches and traditions of the Christian oikumene
• to advise the Provinces and the Instruments of Communion on all questions of ecumenical engagement, proposals for national, regional or international ecumenical agreement or schemes of co-operation and unity, as well as on questions touching Anglican Faith and Order
• to review developments in the areas of faith, order or unity in the Anglican Communion and among ecumenical partners, and to give advice to the Churches of the Anglican Communion or to the Instruments of Communion upon them, with the intention to promote common understanding, consistency, and convergence both in Anglican Communion affairs, and in ecumenical engagement
• to assist any Province with the assessment of new proposals in the areas of Unity, Faith and Order as requested.