Divergent ideas about unity

from the Western Report 8, no.17 (1993): 44. Not since the Eastern and Western churches went their separate ways in 1054, with bitter reciprocal excommunications all around, has there been quite so much talk and hope for eventual reunification of the Christian world as there is today. “Ecumenism” has been a focus of much talk
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Posted: May 24, 1993 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6059
Categories: News • In this article: Christian unity, ecumenism, Edmonton, Evangelicals, Summer Ecumenical Institute Transmis : 24 mai 1993 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6059
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : Christian unity, ecumenism, Edmonton, Evangelicals, Summer Ecumenical Institute

Pope issues call for Christian unity

Pope John Paul II, in issuing a fresh initiative to promote Christian unity, has provided Protestants and Catholics a rare opportunity to work through long-standing theological differences in a modern context.

In North America, evangelicals and Catholic leaders say the pope’s invitation to examine together the role of the papal office is historic and significant. But there is disagreement on whether meaningful unity is achievable, even with the pope’s endorsement in the May 30 encyclical on Christian unity, Ut Unum Sint (“That They May Be One”). A common concern that Orthodox and Protestant believers share is opposition to the pope’s claim to a unique role in Christendom.

“The Catholic Church’s conviction that in the ministry of the Bishop of Rome she has preserved … the visible sign and guarantor of unity constitutes a difficulty for most other Christians, whose memory is marked by certain painful recollections,” the pope acknowledges. “To the extent that we are responsible for these, I join my predecessor Paul VI in asking forgiveness.”

Richard John Neuhaus, a Catholic priest and former Lutheran, now with the New York-based organization Religion and Public Life, says the statement is “historic” and “unprecedented.”

Neuhaus has formed an important link to the evangelical movement through working with Prison Fellowship’s Charles Colson. From this coalition emerged the controversial “Evangelicals and Catholics Together” (CT, March 6, 1995, p. 52).
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Posted: July 17, 1995 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6349
Categories: Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, Opinion • In this article: Christian unity, Evangelicals, papacy, Ut Unum Sint Transmis : 17 juillet 1995 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6349
Catégorie : Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, Opinion • Dans cet article : Christian unity, Evangelicals, papacy, Ut Unum Sint

Keeping Company: Evangelicals and Catholics Walk and Talk Together

Protestants and Catholics are working together more and more these days in Canada. Each believes it is the best expression of Christian faith, and each has often condemned the other’s teachings. Now some are trying to move beyond these criticisms and to forge limited new forms of cooperation, according to a series of articles in the May/June issue of Faith Today.

Gary Walsh, president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), visited the offices of the Catholic Bishops in Ottawa and found himself “thanking the Lord for the things we share in common.” Despite doctrinal differences between the two organizations, EFC is having regular contact and working closely with Catholics on public policy issues such as abortion, family life and euthanasia, according to the lead article by Harold Jantz, a consultant and project manager of church-related projects in Winnipeg.

Sr. Donna Geernaert, who speaks for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in Ottawa, observes that not only have Catholics and the EFC joined with one another for presentations to government, they’ve also coordinated their efforts so they could prepare complementary briefs.

George Vandervelde of Toronto, convener of the World Evangelical Fellowship’s task force on ecumenical issues, believes that dialogue between evangelicals and Catholics is important “simply to understand one another and clarify how we are different and how we are similar.” He says we shouldn’t be bearing false witness against each other. “If in evangelicalism we say this or that against Roman Catholicism, we should know that we are speaking truth, and you can find that out only by speaking to one another.”
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Posted: May 1, 1999 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=4
Categories: Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, News • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, ecumenism, Evangelicals Transmis : 1 mai 1999 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=4
Catégorie : Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, News • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, ecumenism, Evangelicals

Adventists and Evangelicals Meet in Dialogue

Representatives of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church and the World Evangelical Alliance met in dialogue August 8-11, 2006 on the campus of the International Baptist Theological Seminary, located in Prague, Czech Republic. Although informal contacts had occurred during the past 50 years, this was the first official meeting of the two groups. The purposes of the dialogue were to gain a clearer understanding of the theological positions of each body; to clarify matters of misunderstanding; to discuss frankly areas of agreement and disagreement on a Biblical basis; and to explore possible areas of cooperation.
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Posted: September 1, 2006 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=261
Categories: Dialogue, News • In this article: Evangelicals, Seventh-day Adventist, World Evangelical Alliance Transmis : 1 septembre 2006 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=261
Catégorie : Dialogue, News • Dans cet article : Evangelicals, Seventh-day Adventist, World Evangelical Alliance

Adventistes et évangéliques se rencontrent lors d’un dialogue

(Prague, République tchèque — WEA/APD) Des représentants de l’Eglise adventiste du septième jour au niveau mondial et de l’Alliance Mondiale Évangélique (WEA) se sont rencontrés pour un dialogue du 8 au 11 août 2006 sur le campus du Séminaire baptiste international, situé à Prague, République tchèque. Bien que des contacts informels aient eu lieu au cours des 50 dernières années, c’était la première rencontre officielle de ces deux groupes. Les objectifs de ce dialogue étaient : d’arriver à une compréhension plus claire despositions théologiques de chacun de ces groupes ; de clarifier des malentendus ; de discuter avec franchise et sur une base biblique les points d’accord et de désaccord ; et d’explorer des domaines possibles de collaboration.
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Posted: September 4, 2006 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=262
Categories: Dialogue, News • In this article: Evangelicals, Seventh-day Adventist, World Evangelical Alliance Transmis : 4 septembre 2006 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=262
Catégorie : Dialogue, News • Dans cet article : Evangelicals, Seventh-day Adventist, World Evangelical Alliance

Evangelicals & Catholics Together in a culture of life

A new statement has been published by Evangelicals and Catholics Together, an ad-hoc group of theologians and church leaders headed by Charles Colson and Richard John Neuhaus. This text, entitled “That They May Have Life,” is the sixth statement issued by ECT since 1994. In their most recent offering, ECT returns its focus to public policy, morality, and the so-called “culture wars.” Seeking to promote dialogue within the US on the “culture of life,” the group affirms that they share common interests and concerns with those who oppose them. These include a common interest in the American experiment and a common humanity with its God-given capacity for reason. The text, which has the tone of a pastoral letter, appears to be interested in a dialogue between secular culture and Christians.

While this latest document is to be welcomed for its clear articulation of certain aspects of the “culture of life,” and for the continuing efforts of Evangelicals and Roman Catholics to speak together on issues of shared concern, it is disappointing for many of the same reasons that the first ECT statement was criticized. There is very little contribution made here to the ecumenical rapprochement between Evangelicals and Roman Catholics. Many of the issues that the participants agreed upon in this statement will divide them from others within their own churches. This statement will likely be received as just another contribution to the abortion debate by the Religious Right. To me, it seems like like they weren’t reaching high enough.
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Posted: September 20, 2006 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=268
Categories: Dialogue, Documents, Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, Evangelicals, Evangelicals and Catholics Together Transmis : 20 septembre 2006 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=268
Catégorie : Dialogue, Documents, Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, Evangelicals, Evangelicals and Catholics Together

Evangelicals and Social Engagement

Evangelical theology stresses the importance of a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ and sees the transformation of individuals as an important part of the transformation of the world. However, the notion of a purely privatized faith in which the gospel only affects individual, personal or family life but has no wider implications for society must be rejected as inadequate.
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Posted: September 15, 2007 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=349
Categories: News • In this article: environment, Evangelicals, justice, peace, social policy, statements, theology, World Evangelical Alliance Transmis : 15 septembre 2007 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=349
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : environment, Evangelicals, justice, peace, social policy, statements, theology, World Evangelical Alliance

Building blocks to Christian fellowship

According to Pastor Harry Strauss, the Saskatoon Evangelical Ministers Fellowship (SEMF) intention is to build up fellowship among its members and within the wider community.

Strauss is an associate pastor at Forest Grove Community Church and chair of SEMF which is an association and fellowship of pastors and leaders from about 40 evangelical churches in the city. It also includes representatives from a dozen or so para-church organizations like Youth for Christ, Power to Change, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and Christian Counselling Services.

SEMF has been operating for many years as an organization that sees its membership constantly changing.

“The heart of our mission is to foster a spirit of unity among Christian ministers and ministries in the city,” Strauss says.

The group meets monthly, and in recent years has become involved in a number of interesting initiatives.
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Posted: December 24, 2010 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6214
Categories: Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, News • In this article: Christian unity, ecumenism, Evangelicals, Saskatoon Transmis : 24 décembre 2010 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6214
Catégorie : Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, News • Dans cet article : Christian unity, ecumenism, Evangelicals, Saskatoon

Evangelical-Catholic ecumenical prayer service held at Saskatoon cathedral

Evangelical and Catholic Christians recently gathered to pray and to celebrate their common faith in Jesus Christ at a joyful gathering at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Saskatoon.

Sharing song, scripture and prayer, some 300 people attended the groundbreaking gathering March 22, 2011. Pastor Harry Strauss of Forest Grove Community Church, representing the Saskatoon Evangelical Ministers Fellowship, and Bishop Donald Bolen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon presided together at the service. Welcoming all those attending from many denominations and local churches, Bolen described the origins of the event, which he traced back to the prayer and friendship experienced when three Catholic women joined those in the Evangelical community gathering regularly to pray for local Alliance Church Pastor Ken Rutherford, who was ill with cancer and who died in September 2010.

“It was Ken’s request that those who gathered would also pray for the wounded body of Christ in the city of Saskatoon,” said Bolen, who attended one of the prayer services, where he first met Ken’s wife Lenna. “Eventually I got to meet Pastor Ken as well, and I was stirred by his profound desire for unity and reconciliation.”

In a sermon shared with Bolen and Strauss, Lenna Rutherford recalled her husband’s experience of joy when he introduced two of his beloved friends to each other – something that also reflected his experience of connecting to other friends through a mutual love of Jesus Christ.

Christ had introduced Ken to many other dear friends. Ken found them in many shapes and presentations, they came from many pastoral and priestly places, in various denominations across the city and Ken found that he was called to see not from a worldly, or religious, or denominational point of view, but from Christ’s point of view, which was: “let me introduce you to someone I love so much that I died for them too.’”
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Posted: March 25, 2011 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=8878
Categories: Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • In this article: Catholic, dialogue, Evangelicals, prayer, Saskatoon, spiritual ecumenism Transmis : 25 mars 2011 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=8878
Catégorie : Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • Dans cet article : Catholic, dialogue, Evangelicals, prayer, Saskatoon, spiritual ecumenism

A Pope for All Christians

When the new pope is consecrated, he will inherit a troubled global church. Internal scandal and unaddressed external problems pose great risks to the vitality of Catholicism. But the consequences of success or failure are huge for the church universal, the world’s 2.1 billion Christians of every denomination. This is more than a butterfly effect. Rome is not Las Vegas—what happens in Rome will not stay within the borders of Vatican City. One consequence of globalization is that the walls that have long divided Catholics from Orthodox, mainline Protestants, evangelicals, and Pentecostals are eroding.

Brian Stiller, a global ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance, commenting about Catholic and evangelical relations, wrote on his blog recently, “Not in 500 years have the two sides been so close and friendly.”
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Posted: March 13, 2013 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6552
Categories: Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, Opinion • In this article: Catholic, ecumenism, Evangelicals, papacy Transmis : 13 mars 2013 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6552
Catégorie : Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue, Opinion • Dans cet article : Catholic, ecumenism, Evangelicals, papacy