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  • 2007 Articles

    Journal Articles of Note on Ecumenism as of December 2007

    “Bishops as Ecumenical Leaders,” Catholic Theological Society of America Panel. Ecumenical Trends 36 (December 2007): 166-175.

    • Skylstad, William S. “Our Common Reconciling Ministry,” 166-169.
    • Anderson, H. George. “Bishops as Leaders in Ecumenical Dialogue,” 170-172.
    • Brown, Tod D. “Bishops as Leaders in Ecumenical Dialogue: Reflections on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations,” 173, 175.

    In this panel discussion from the Catholic Theological Society of America’s annual convention, Bp. Skylstad presents a Roman Catholic perspective and Bp. Anderson a Lutheran perspective, with response from Bp. Brown, a Roman Catholic.

    Christian Orient: A Journal of Eastern Churches for Creative Theological Thinking 28 (December 2007).
    This entire issue is dedicated to papers on ecumenism, including articles on an Indian perspective on future church, differing understandings of apostolic succession, and questions on ecumenism raised by modern philosophy.

    Bush, John C. and Jeffrey R. Gros. “Journey in Faith: Forty Years of Reformed-Catholic Dialogue: 1965-2005.” The Ecumenical Review 59:2-3 (2007):293-314.

    Clapsis, Emmanuel. “Towards a Mystical and Prophetic Spiritual Life.” The Ecumenical Review 59:2-3 (2007): 189-206.
    A Greek Orthodox perspective on the elements of ecumenical spirituality: liturgy, community, tradition, love of God and neighbour, openness to the activity of the Holy Spirit, mysticism, and prophecy.

    Crossin, John W. “What Does God Want Us to Do? A Meditation on Discernment.” Ecumenical Trends 36 (November 2007): 145-149.
    The executive director of the Washington Theological Consortium elucidates spiritual ecumenism through the elements of spiritual discernment: prayer, humility, reconciliation and healing, spiritual friendships, and obedience.

    Del Colle, Ralph. “Mary, the Unwelcome (?) Guest in Catholic/Pentecostal Dialogue.” Pneuma 29 (2007): 214-225.

    Ferguson, Thomas. “Apostolicity, Apostolic Succession, and the Historic Episcopate: Reconciliation of Ministries in the Church of North India and Implications for the United Methodist-Episcopal Dialogue.” The Anglican 36 (July 2007): 15-26.
    This paper, by the Associate Deputy of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations for the Episcopal Church, explores potential learnings for current United Methodist-Episcopal dialogue from the Church of North India ’s experience with reconciliation of ministries.

    Ford, John T. “Ecumenical Agreements: Material for a Retreat?” Ecumenical Trends 36 (October 2007): 129-133.
    The ecumenical movement’s current expert in methodology (see following entry) suggests helpful approaches to the study of ecumenical documents in parish and seminary settings, as well as identifying some specific temptations that threaten effective reception of these documents.

    Ford, John T. “Oberlin 2007: The Need for an Expanded Methodology?” Ecumenical Trends 36 (September 2007): 117-120.
    Fr. Ford, professor in the School of Religious Studies at Catholic University of America, has used his vast ecumenical experience to develop a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of ecumenical conversation using the categories of “resonance” (agreement despite differing terminology), “dissonance” (disagreement masked by the use of similar terminology), and “nonsonance” (confusion resulting from the dual lacunae of understanding and of communication). This important article furthers Ford’s ecumenical nomenclature by adding a fourth category: “ordinance,” to describe receiving ecumenical agreements and incorporating them into the life of the church.

    Journal of Ecumenical Studies 42 (Fall 2007).
    This exceptionally useful issue is devoted to papers from the Oberlin II Conference celebrating 50 years of Faith and Order in the U.S. and papers from the 2005 and 2006 North American Academy of Ecumenists conferences. The general theme is “widening the circle of ecumenical conversation.” A veritable ecumenical feast!

    Kasper, Walter. “The Current State of Ecumenical Dialogue.” Origins 37 (December 20, 2007): 450-454.
    An address by the head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in which he asserts that “Ecumenism is not an option but a holy obligation,” and analyzes three “fields of ecumenism”: Roman Catholic relations with the Orthodox, Reformation churches, and Pentecostal Christians.

    Lewis, Dick. “The Dublin Conference: Aspects of Reconciliation.” The Window: The Anglican- Lutheran Society, Issue 84 (December 2007): 1.
    The Anglican-Lutheran Society is an international ecumenical society dedicated to furthering relations worldwide between Anglicans and Lutherans. This issue of the journal reports on the biennial conference, held in Dublin in September 2007. This issue also includes Gillian Kingston’s presentation to the conference on “Ireland Today: An Introduction to Irish History and Culture.” The U.S. chapter is the International Lutheran-Episcopal Society , U.S. ; website:http://www.alsocietyusa.org/.

    MacDonald, Timothy. “A History of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” Ecumenical Trends 36 (September 2007): 113-116.

    Root, Michael. “Bishops, Ministry, and the Unity of the Church in Ecumenical Dialogue: Deadlock, Breakthrough, or Both?” Catholic Theological Society of America Proceedings 62 (2007): 19-35.
    The premier Lutheran ecumenist analyzes the current state of the question re Roman Catholic non-recognition of Lutheran episcopacy and proposes a “scalar” approach (recognition as “real but imperfect”) as a way forward.

    Schattauer, Thomas H. “Liturgical Studies: Disciplines, Perspectives, Teaching.” International Journal of Practical Theology 11 (2007): 106-137.A comprehensive overview of the “landscape” of the liturgical movement: its history, theology, and pastoral aspects in conversation with six key scholars: Paul Bradshaw, Robert Taft, Gordon Lathrop, Geoffrey Wainwright, Mark Searle, and Lawrence Hoffman. The author’s integrative teaching approach, based on liturgy as “communal practice,” could be useful in many denominational contexts.

    Tavard, George H. “A Theological Exploration of Ecumenical Hospitality.” The Ecumenical Review 59:2-3 (2007): 242-256. A preeminent Roman Catholic ecumenist uses hospitality as a “paradigm of our relationship with God” and thus with one another, through koinonia ecclesiology, for the sake of unity and reconciliation.

    Voss, Klaus Peter. “Source of Renewal or Sign of Stagnation? A Brief Look at the Week of Prayer.” The Ecumenical Review 59:4 (2007): 423-429.
    In an issue focused on the 100 th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a member of the international committee reflects on the impact of the Week of Prayer observance on the ecumenical movement and the life of the church.