The Unity of the Church: Gift and Calling

The purpose of God according to Holy Scripture is to gather the whole of creation under the Lordship of Jesus Christ in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, all are brought into communion with God (Eph. 1). The Church is the foretaste of this communion with God and with one another. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit enable the one Church to live as sign of the reign of God and servant of the reconciliation with God, promised and provided for the whole creation. The purpose of the Church is to unite people with Christ in the power of the Spirit, to manifest communion in prayer and action and thus to point to the fullness of communion with God, humanity and the whole creation in the glory of the kingdom.
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Posted: February 20, 1991 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=9714
Categories: Documents • In this article: Christian unity, WCC Assembly, WCC Commission on Faith & Order Transmis : 20 février 1991 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=9714
Catégorie : Documents • Dans cet article : Christian unity, WCC Assembly, WCC Commission on Faith & Order

Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

The Commission for dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church met at the Spirituality Center of the Syro-Malabar Church at Kottayam (Kerala, South India) December 5-8, 1994. All Commission members were present.

1. The principal subject was the study on the role of the Episcopate in guaranteeing the Unity of the Church. After taking up again the text on “Synodal Structure and Practice” (P.M.O. John) two other documents were presented: “Koinonia in the Church” (Mar Severios) and “Ecclesial Communion: A biblical-theological perspective” (P.M. Vellanickal). The sub-commission has begun to draft a first synthesis on “the Church as Communion (Koinonia)” which has been discussed by the assembly.

These progressive studies, which have not led immediately to concrete decisions, have engaged the commission in a process of successive approaches to the mystery of the Church and more precisely of its sacramental structure which is common to the two Churches. These approaches also permit us to perceive the links between this structure and the exercise of authority in the Church. It has therefore asked a sub-commission to explore more deeply the notions of authority (exousia) and of service (diakonia in the Church understood as communion (koinonia).
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Posted: December 8, 1994 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=8540
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Catholic, dialogue, India, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Transmis : 8 décembre 1994 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=8540
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Catholic, dialogue, India, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church

The Commission for dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church met at the Spirituality Center of the Syro-Malabar Church at Kottayam (Kerala, South India) December 9, 1994. All Commission members were present.

1. In the course of this fourth meeting, the Commission spent the greater part of its time on the issue of the reception, in each Church, of the agreement on mixed marriages published January 25, 1994. On each side it has been welcomed in a very positive way. The faithful have experienced the new attitudes as a liberation because they respect and enlarge the freedom of choice of these minorities in regard to marriage and family life. If some difficulties have arisen on certain points, it has been because of of the lack of awareness among the clergy more of the Agreement itself than of the Pastoral Directives which accompanied it. It seems indispensable to foresee in each diocese a small committee or a diocesan delegate with the responsibility to resolve the more urgent problems.
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Posted: December 9, 1994 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=8546
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Catholic, dialogue, Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church Transmis : 9 décembre 1994 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=8546
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Catholic, dialogue, Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church

Towards a Common Understanding and Vision of the WCC

The text that follows is the outcome of more than eight years of study and consultation on the “common understanding and vision of the World Council of Churches”, mandated by the WCC Central Committee at its meeting in 1989. Since the Seventh Assembly of the WCC in 1991, this subject has continuously been on the agenda of the Central Committee; in addition, it has been extensively discussed in meetings of WCC commissions, advisory bodies and staff. Insights have been sought and received from WCC member churches, other churches and a broad range of ecumenical partners, as well as many individual participants in and students of the ecumenical movement.

The WCC Executive Committee agreed in February 1995 that this process of consultation should aim at preparing a document for the Eighth Assembly, on the occasion of the WCC’s 50th anniversary, which might serve as an “ecumenical charter” for the 21st century. In September 1995, the Central Committee approved a procedure for preparing such a text. An initial draft came from a consultation in December 1995 which brought together some 35 persons from all regions and church traditions. This was shared with a variety of groups and individuals, then revised in June 1996 and sent to the Central Committee for discussion in September 1996. Its responses were incorporated into a “working draft” distributed to WCC member churches and ecumenical partners, who were asked to react to it by the end of June 1997. On the basis of some 153 written responses received from member churches and ecumenical bodies, as well as discussions during personal visits by WCC staff and others to many churches and partners, a new draft was presented to the Central Committee for discussion at its meeting in September 1997. The text that follows incorporates amendments proposed during that meeting.
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Posted: September 19, 1997 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=9706
Categories: Documents • In this article: Christian unity, WCC Central Committee Transmis : 19 septembre 1997 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=9706
Catégorie : Documents • Dans cet article : Christian unity, WCC Central Committee

Communiqué: Evangelical-Catholic consultation 1997

In 1993 there was a first meeting in Venice (Italy) for conversations between Evangelical and Roman Catholic representatives, co-sponsored by the World Evangelical Fellowship and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The themes were Justification, Scripture and Tradition. As a follow up to it, a second meeting for conversations was held in the Ecumenical Institute of Tantur (Jerusalem), October 12-19, 1997. Participants represented different regions of the world and a variety of Christian ministries.

The main themes for these conversations — agreed upon during the Venice meeting — were issues related to the nature and mission of the Church. Representatives of each tradition presented a paper on each theme. The discussion that followed evidenced a spirit of mutual acceptance and disposition to listen to one another and pray together.

From the discussions, some points of agreement emerged, as well as areas that demand more reflection and theological work. It was felt that it is still too early to present an elaborate document. We therefore limit ourselves to list the main points on which we have come to a common understanding as well as the points that we would suggest as an agenda for the future conversations between the World Evangelical Fellowship and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, if both partners agree to do so.
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Posted: October 19, 1997 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=2192
Categories: Communiqué, Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • In this article: Catholic, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, World Evangelical Alliance Transmis : 19 octobre 1997 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=2192
Catégorie : Communiqué, Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • Dans cet article : Catholic, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, World Evangelical Alliance

A Treasure in Earthen Vessels: An Instrument for an Ecumenical Reflection on Hermeneutics

This text explores the complex, potentially conflictual but often creative field of hermeneutics, focused specifically on the hermeneutical task entailed in the ecumenical search for visible church unity. This exploration, carried out at the request of the Fifth World Conference on Faith and Order (Santiago de Compostela, 1993), is a part of the ongoing work of Faith and Order.

Hermeneutical questions emerged in ecumenical work already in its beginnings. The churches’ responses to the Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry text made it especially clear that Faith and Order needed to reflect on what is involved when authors, readers and interpreters of ecumenical documents come from many different contexts and confessions. The significance of the hermeneutical task for the ecumenical movement has deepened and widened since this initial perception. Indeed, representatives of churches from all parts of the world who participated in the Santiago conference made it clear that the work of Faith and Order could progress fruitfully only with serious exploration of the hermeneutical issues.

This text is the product of three study consultations (Dublin 1994, Lyons 1996 and Bossey 1997), and two small drafting meetings (Boston 1994 and Faverges 1998). Participants in these gatherings included members of the World Council of Churches’ Commission on Faith and Order, joined by scholars particularly interested in hermeneutical questions. Participants came from all parts of the world and represented many ecclesial traditions (e.g. Anglican, Anabaptist/Pietist, Lutheran, Methodist, Old Catholic, Orthodox, Reformed, Roman Catholic). Interim versions were reviewed and critiqued at various stages by the Board of Faith and Order and by its Plenary Commission meeting in Moshi, Tanzania, in 1996. They have also been studied and responded to by a number of scholars in the field. Each and every response along the way has received careful attention.
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Posted: January 1, 1998 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=9731
Categories: Documents • In this article: Christian unity, hermeneutics, WCC Commission on Faith & Order Transmis : 1 janvier 1998 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=9731
Catégorie : Documents • Dans cet article : Christian unity, hermeneutics, WCC Commission on Faith & Order

Orthodox churches hold WCC at arms’ length

A pan-Orthodox conference that took place from April 29 to May 2, 1998, at Thessaloniki, Greece, was devoted to relations between Orthodoxy and the ecumenical movement – a topic which has caused concern among very many people not only in the Russian but also other Local Orthodox Churches.
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Posted: May 8, 1998 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=2
Categories: Communiqué, News • In this article: Orthodox, WCC Transmis : 8 mai 1998 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=2
Catégorie : Communiqué, News • Dans cet article : Orthodox, WCC

Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue Issues ‘Common Statement’

[CHICAGO | ELCA News] Talks between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas have arrived at “A Lutheran-Orthodox Common Statement on Faith in the Holy Trinity.” The 13-paragraph communique explains the emphasis of both traditions on the Nicene Creed and draws attention to a
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Posted: February 19, 1999 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=4980
Categories: Communiqué, ELCA News • In this article: dialogue, Lutheran, Orthodox Transmis : 19 février 1999 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=4980
Catégorie : Communiqué, ELCA News • Dans cet article : dialogue, Lutheran, Orthodox

Communiqué: Evangelical-Catholic consultation 1999

1. A theological consultation between Evangelicals and Catholics took place from 7-13 November 1999. Jointly sponsored by the World Evangelical Fellowship‘s Theological Commission and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the meeting took place at the George Williams Campus of Aurora University, Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA. It followed on from two previous consultations between WEF and Catholic Church representatives, held in 1993 in Venice, Italy and in 1997 at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute near Jerusalem. [Note: The World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) changed its name to World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) in 2000.]

2. The Williams Bay meeting sought to deepen mutual understanding and respect between Evangelicals and Catholics, using the occasion to hear how each understood one another’s traditions, convictions and concerns. More particularly its aim was to face misunderstandings that put stumbling blocks in the way of the Good News being proclaimed and heard.

Four papers were prepared for the consultation. On the theme of koinonia (fellowship or communion) two papers were discussed: “An Evangelical Perspective on Church Koinonia” by Henri Blocher and “The Church as Communion: A Catholic Perspective,” by Avery Dulles. Later discussion of evangelization and common witness and their difficulties began on the basis of a paper by M. Daniel Carroll R., “The Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue: Issues Revolving around Evangelization. A View from Latin America” and one by Thomas Stransky, “Religious Freedom, Christian Witness and Proselytism.”
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Posted: November 13, 1999 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=2193
Categories: Communiqué, Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • In this article: Catholic, dialogue, World Evangelical Alliance Transmis : 13 novembre 1999 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=2193
Catégorie : Communiqué, Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • Dans cet article : Catholic, dialogue, World Evangelical Alliance

Communiqué: Anglican-Lutheran International Working Group

The dialogue between Anglicans and Lutherans on the worldwide level has been underway in varying formats since 1970. Prominent among the reports produced by this dialogue are The Niagara Report (1987), focusing on the mission of the church and the role of the ordained ministry, and The Diaconate as an Ecumenical Opportunity (1995), which concluded the work of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission.
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Posted: February 16, 2000 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=2271
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Anglican, Lutheran Transmis : 16 février 2000 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=2271
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Anglican, Lutheran