La paix… N’est-ce pas un de ces mots qui expriment le mieux l’aspiration fondamentale du coeur humain ? Et n’est-ce pas ce que l’on peut se souhaiter de mieux, en particulier dans le cadre d’une rencontre comme celle de ce soir ?

La paix… Le mot résonne en effet comme un cri du coeur qui traverse le temps, les communautés de foi, les cultures. Shalom ! Eirènè ! Pax ! Salam ! Peace ! Frieden ! et combien d’autres expressions dans toutes les langues.

Pour les chrétiens, c’est aussi l’écho de la salutation du Christ à ses disciples, au soir de Pâques, qui faisait du coup disparaître la peur, toute peur, et donnait une assise solide à l’espérance, par-delà la mort, la souffrance et toute forme de violence et de haine. « Soyez toujours prêts… à rendre compte de l’espérance qui est en vous », écrivait l’apôtre saint Pierre dans une lettre qui nous a été transmise dans la Bible, « mais, ajoutait-il, faites-le avec douceur et respect. »
… Read more » … lire la suite »

“One faith, one baptism, one grace.” That is the title of the first national bilateral agreement between the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark The Methodist Church in Denmark (as a part of the United Methodist Church).

With this agreement about church communion, the churches acknowledge each other as equal churches, including acknowledging each other’s baptism, Eucharist and offices. Furthermore, the churches confirm that they can co-celebrate Church services and that a pastor does not need to be re-ordained if he or she is called to minister in the other church.

ELCD and The Methodist Church have enjoyed full communion, ever since ELCD joined the Leuenberg Agreement in 2001, which is a co-operation agreement between the protestant churches in Europe. The Methodist Church joined this co-operation in 1994.

It is thus a local implementation of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe, which after years of in-depth ecumenical dialogue is being carried out.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

We the undersigned leaders of diverse faith communities and organizations in Canada, call on the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to amend the Canada Summer Jobs guidelines and application process so that it does not compel agreement or belief, and allows religious organizations to stay true to their communal identity and beliefs. The new application requires each organization to give non-negotiable and unqualified affirmation of certain beliefs held by the current government.

Canada has a long history of cooperation and collaboration between religious organizations and governments in our health care and social welfare systems, and in many other areas of life.

Faith-based organizations wish to continue to partner with the federal government in delivering programming and services to vulnerable members of their local communities, including children and youth, newcomers to Canada, and people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Changes now being considered to the structure of the United Church of Canada could conceivably ease clergy-sharing and other forms of cooperation between that church and the Anglican Church of Canada, say some leaders from the two churches.

One challenge now facing merged Anglican and United congregations, as noted in a report issued following the conclusion of the most recently completed round of dialogue between the two denominations, is that they lack an agreement allowing the interchangeability of ministries. Clergy of one church have been allowed to serve as clergy for the other generally only in circumstances regarded as exceptional, such as in ecumenical shared ministries, for which special permission needs to be granted by the authorities of each denomination.
… Read more » … lire la suite »