Evangelism: The Hallmark of Evangelical Faith

Evangelism is the proclamation in word, deed and Christian character of the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross and through the resurrection. Evangelism lies at the core of the identity of being evangelical. We affirm that it is not possible to be truly evangelical without a radical commitment to world evangelisation; indeed, such a commitment is inherent to Christian identity itself. Evangelism is one of the three central characteristics of evangelicalism, based on the understanding that Jesus Christ is the unique Saviour of humanity and Lord of all creation and that the Scriptures are the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

The WEA calls on all evangelicals and Christians worldwide to renew their commitment to holistic evangelism. By this we emphasize the connection between proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ in word and practicing it in our actions: both are necessary for the integrity of the gospel. Furthermore, personal conversion must result in the growth of Christian character and witness.

As with all Christian traditions, there have been times when mistakes have been made and evangelicals have struggled to link the proclamation of the gospel with acts of justice and peace. Yet in our history there have been many strong voices and lives that exemplify the holistic nature of evangelism. People such as Wesley, Wilberforce, Shaftesbury, Lester, Bediako, Kitamori, Adeyemo, Stott, Escobar and Padilla have all shown deep personal commitment to social action and individual transformation.
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Posted: January 30, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=8163
Categories: Documents • In this article: evangelism/evangelization, World Evangelical Alliance Transmis : 30 janvier 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=8163
Catégorie : Documents • Dans cet article : evangelism/evangelization, World Evangelical Alliance

Roman Catholic and United churches agree on marriage

The meeting of the Roman Catholic-United Church of Canada dialogue group which I attended in October reaffirmed the report on marriage that was submitted to our sponsoring bodies last spring. I have had the pleasure to be a part of this dialogue for the last 5 years as we discussed the often personal topic of marriage and our churches’ policies regarding marriage. What could have been a very confrontational discussion ended up being a wonderful celebration of the ideals of the institution as well as the rites involved in a wedding. Indeed, our two churches have much in common around marriage.
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Posted: February 8, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=2902
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Canada, Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecumenism, UCC, United Church of Canada Transmis : 8 février 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=2902
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Canada, Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecumenism, UCC, United Church of Canada

WCC issues new Faith and Order convergence text on Church

In a World Council of Churches (WCC) governance meeting, The Church: Towards a Common Vision, a convergence text of the Commission on Faith and Order, was officially presented by the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit. Tveit launched The Church at the WCC Executive Committee meeting on 6 March, which took place at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Switzerland. “The Commission on Faith and Order presents to us a gift, a statement about the Church,” stated Tveit in his foreword to The Church. “Work on ecclesiology relates to everything the Church is and what its mission implies in and for the world. It reflects the constitutional aims and self-identity of the WCC as a fellowship of churches who call each other to the goal of visible unity,” he added. The Church identifies what Christians can say together about the Church in order to grow in communion, to struggle together for justice and peace, and to overcome together their past and present divisions. After twenty years in the making, The Church was approved by the Standing Commission on Faith and Order at its 2012 meeting in Penang, Malaysia. It was later received by the WCC Central Committee and commended to the churches for study and formal response. It is the second convergence text to be approved in the long life of the commission, the first being the Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry which was celebrated at the WCC 6th Assembly in Vancouver (1982).
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Posted: March 7, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=3477
Categories: Dialogue, Documents, WCC News • In this article: Christian unity, church, dialogue, ecclesiology, ecumenism, WCC Transmis : 7 mars 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=3477
Catégorie : Dialogue, Documents, WCC News • Dans cet article : Christian unity, church, dialogue, ecclesiology, ecumenism, WCC

Reformed-Catholic dialogue concludes latest talks on key doctrine

Reformed and Catholic theologians recently concluded the latest in a decades-long series of ongoing international talks on a matter theologians see as central to the disputes of the Reformation era. Theologians from the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity met from April 7-13 as part of the third session in the fourth phase of the Catholic-Reformed dialogue which will conclude in 2017. The theme of the phase is “Justification and Sacramentality: The Christian Community as an Agent for Justice.” The talks began in 1970. The next meeting in the series will take place in Scotland. The themes to be covered are Justification: Holy Communion/Eucharist and Justice” and “Justification and Justice: Sanctification/ Universal Call to Holiness.” The ongoing dialogue could eventually determine if the World Communion of Reformed Churches aligns itself with a joint document on the doctrine of justification agreed to by Roman Catholics and a top Lutheran body in 1999.
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Posted: April 16, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=3663
Categories: Communiqué, News • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecumenism, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Reformed churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches Transmis : 16 avril 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=3663
Catégorie : Communiqué, News • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecumenism, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Reformed churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches

ARCIC meeting in Brazil makes progress on joint statement

Catholic and Anglican ecumenical experts meeting in Rio de Janeiro have made progress towards their goal of a common statement on relations between the local and universal Church. This third meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC III) has also been exploring the ways in which both communities make decisions regarding moral and ethical issues. During the week-long meeting which concluded on Monday, participants met with local Anglican and Catholic leaders to find out about local ecumenical initiatives. They spent a day in the ‘Cidade de Deus’ or City of God, one of the many slum areas around Rio de Janeiro, where the churches are working closely with police and other civic authorities to provide services and support community development.Members of the Commission described the meeting as a hope filled encounter and plan to hold the next ARCIC III session from May 12th to 20th, 2014.
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Posted: May 8, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=3937
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Anglican, ARCIC, Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecclesiology, ecumenism, ethics Transmis : 8 mai 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=3937
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Anglican, ARCIC, Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecclesiology, ecumenism, ethics

Lutherans and Roman Catholics jointly tell the Reformation story

For the first time, Lutherans and Roman Catholics at the global level have worked together to tell the story of the Reformation as part of their commitment to deepen Christian unity.

The publication From Conflict to Communion will be published this month by the Lutheran – Roman Catholic Commission on Unity. The commission is mandated by The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) to facilitate the global ecumenical dialogue between the two Christian World Communions.

LWF Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations Rev. Dr Kaisamari Hintikka said the publication From Conflict to Communion: Lutheran–Roman Catholic Common Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017 contributes to strengthening the commitment to work for the visible unity of the Church. It will be presented to the LWF Council at its meeting this June.
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Posted: May 8, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=4535
Categories: Dialogue, News • In this article: Catholic, dialogue, ecumenism, Lutheran, Lutheran World Federation, Reformation Transmis : 8 mai 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=4535
Catégorie : Dialogue, News • Dans cet article : Catholic, dialogue, ecumenism, Lutheran, Lutheran World Federation, Reformation

Anglicans and Catholics finding one voice

Inspired by the apostle Peter’s exhortation to offer “an account of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15), members of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada (ARC Canada) are working on a project aimed at giving such an account with one voice.

Using as their starting point some of the fundamental questions that continue to be asked by people inside and outside the church, members of ARC Canada are composing short, accessible pieces of writing that offer responses rooted in the common Christian tradition shared by Catholics and Anglicans.

Among the questions being addressed by the Common Witness Project are: Why believe? Why is the world the way it is? What is my mission in life? Are science and faith compatible? What good is the church? Is suffering good for anything? Will it be okay?
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Posted: May 23, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=4594
Categories: Communiqué, News • In this article: Anglican, Canada, Catholic, dialogue, ecumenism, witness Transmis : 23 mai 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=4594
Catégorie : Communiqué, News • Dans cet article : Anglican, Canada, Catholic, dialogue, ecumenism, witness

Anglicans et catholiques unissent leurs voix

Inspirés par l’exhortation de l’apôtre Pierre à défendre« l’espérance qui esten vous » (1 Pierre 3,15), les membres du Dialogue anglican et catholique romain du Canada (ARC du Canada) travaillent sur un projet visant à unir leurs voix pour rendre compte de cette foi.

En utilisant comme point de départ certaines des questions fondamentales qui préoccupent encore aujourd’hui pratiquants autant que non-pratiquants, les membres de l’ARC du Canada rédigeront divers articles, concis et intelligibles, offrant des réponses basées sur la tradition chrétienne commune partagée par les catholiques et les anglicans.

Parmi les questions qui seront abordées par le projet de Témoignage Commun on peut retrouver: Pourquoi croire? Pourquoi le monde est-il comme il est? Quelle est ma mission dans la vie? La science et la foi sont-elles compatibles? À quoi sert l’église? Est-ce souffrir sert à quelque chose? Est-ce tout ira bien?
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Posted: May 26, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=4611
Categories: Communiqué, News • In this article: Anglican, Canada, Catholic, dialogue, ecumenism, witness Transmis : 26 mai 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=4611
Catégorie : Communiqué, News • Dans cet article : Anglican, Canada, Catholic, dialogue, ecumenism, witness

Communiqué: Catholic-Pentecostal International Dialogue

The Third Session of the Sixth Phase of the Catholic-Pentecostal International Dialogue took place in Baltimore, MD, USA, July 13 through 19, 2013. The Dialogue is between the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and some Classical Pentecostal churches and leaders. The general theme for the present phase of Dialogue is “Charisms in the Church: Their Spiritual Significance, Discernment, and Pastoral Implications”. The topics discussed at the past two sessions were Charisms – Our Common Ground (2011) and Discernment (2012). The topic for this year’s session (2013) is Healing.

Begun in 1972, the Dialogue does not seek to establish structural unity. Its goal, rather, is to promote mutual respect and understanding in matters of faith and practice. Genuine exchange and frank dialogue concerning the positions and practices of the two traditions have been guiding principles of the conversations, which include daily prayer services that are led alternatively by Catholics and Pentecostals.

The Pentecostal Co-Chair of the Dialogue is Rev. Cecil M. Robeck, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, USA (Assemblies of God). The Catholic Co-Chair of the Dialogue is the Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh, NC, USA.
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Posted: July 19, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=7557
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Catholic, Pentecostal, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Transmis : 19 juillet 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=7557
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Catholic, Pentecostal, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

Communiqué from the Anglican-Orthodox Theological dialogue

In the name of the Triune God, and with the blessing and guidance of our Churches, the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD) met in Novi Sad, Serbia during 4-11 September 2013 at the invitation of Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Commission is grateful for the generous hospitality extended by Bishop Irinej and the Diocese of Backa of which Novi Sad is the see city.

Continuing its focus on Christian anthropology, specifically what it means to be a human person created in the image and likeness of God, the Commission devoted significant efforts to the review of the draft of its joint theological work on the subject. Reflection on the theology of the glory of creation and the uniqueness of humanity in the created order drew the Commission into deep discussion. Further, the Commission worked at length on the specific expression of image and likeness, considering the thematic components of the subject, with particular attention to its scriptural basis. As part of the discussion of human relationships, the Commission observed that it is the teaching of all the Orthodox and Anglican churches that marriage is between a man and a woman. The draft text, which was developed through the studies of previous meetings, was enhanced at this meeting by contributions on the subjects of the human being in society; the human being as a social being; attaining personhood through community from a traditional African perspective; and repentance, transformation and holiness. The Commission agreed that a newly appointed drafting group would work with the existing draft for the next meeting, taking into account the many pertinent comments and theological considerations presented at this meeting.
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Posted: September 10, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6796
Categories: ACNS, Communiqué • In this article: Anglican, dialogue, Orthodox, theological anthropology Transmis : 10 septembre 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6796
Catégorie : ACNS, Communiqué • Dans cet article : Anglican, dialogue, Orthodox, theological anthropology