Budde, Mitzi J. “Lived Witness.” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 50:3 (Summer 2015): 391-416.
This essay explores moral decision-making, moral witness, and moral formation in the context of ecumenical dialogues, particularly the US-Anglican-Roman Catholic statement, Ecclesiology and Moral Discernment. Global, regional, and local examples of ecumenical efforts around ethics are provided; eight challenges to the work of dialogue on moral matters are identified; and six characteristics of “morally serious ecumenical communities” are described.
Carter, David. “The Priesthood of All the Faithful.” Ecumenical Trends 44:10 (November 2015): 150-155, 159.
For those who will be preaching on the 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity text 1 Peter 2:9, the British Methodist ecumenist offers a rich theological study, drawing upon Yves Congar, of the ecumenical convergences and differences in understanding the people of God as a royal priesthood. He suggests a differentiated consensus on the relation of the ordained ministry to the priesthood of all believers and argues that “the
Chapman, David M. “Ecumenism and the Visible Unity of the Church: ‘Organic Unity’ or ‘Reconciled Diversity’? Ecclesiology 11:3 (2015): 350-370.
“This paper traces the origins and subsequent use of the concepts of ‘organic union’ and ‘reconciled diversity’ as alternative descriptions of the visible unity of the Church and the method and goal of ecumenism, with special reference to the documents of the World Council of Churches and a select number of related texts emanating from theological dialogue at a world level. The paper argues…that ‘reconciled diversity,’ as it is usually described, is only a temporary state on the way to ‘organic union’ and not itself a sufficient expression of the full visible unity of the Church.” (Abstract)
“A Dialogue on Believers’ Baptism.” Theme issue, Ecumenical Review 67:3 (October 2015):
- Thompson, David M. “The Exclusive Baptism of Believers: Some Questions for Wider Discussion”: 326-333.
- Callam, Neville G. “Baptists and the Subject of Baptism: Any Real Progress during the Last 25 Years?”: 334-361.
- Kettering-Lane, Denise D. “Brethren Baptism in an Ecumenical Perspective”: 362-373.
- Hicks, John Mark and Mark Weedman. “Believers’ Baptism among Churches of Christ and Christian Churches”: 374-385.
- Welsh, Robert K. “Believers’ Baptism in the Disciples of Christ”: 386-394.
- Enns, Fernando. “The Exclusivity of Adult Baptism and the Inclusivity of Infant Baptism – Dialoguing with Mennonites: Consensus, Convergences and Divergences, Differences, and Desiderata”: 395-410.
- Neufeld, Alfred. “Anabaptist-Mennonite Perspectives on Baptism in Dialogue with the Lutheran and the Roman Catholic Tradition: Ten Theses”: 411-422.
- Tomberlin, Daniel. “Believers’ Baptism in the Pentecostal Tradition”: 423-435.
- Heller, Dagmar. “Toward One Baptism: The Discussions on Mutual Recognition of Baptism in an International Perspective”: 436-449.
- Report: Consultation on Believers’ Baptism: 450-453.
Kinnamon, Michael. “Koinonia and Phloxenia: Toward an Expanded Ecumenical Ecclesiology.” Ecumenical Trends 44:10 (November 2015): 145-149, 159.
The veteran ecumenist seeks to broaden the ecclesiological vocabulary beyond language of fellowship with other Christians (koinonia) to add a complementary dimension of hospitality to strangers (philoxenia), arguing that both aspects are constitutive of the church’s identity and call.
Radano, John A. “The Significance of the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue in the United States: After Fifty Years.” Ecumenical Trends 44:9 (October 2015): 129-136, 140-142.
Msgr. Radano reviews the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue, acknowledges its contributions to international Lutheran-Roman Catholic ecumenical advances, especially the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, and closes with a suggestion that the dialogue “seek to make a decisive ‘concrete step’ forward regarding reconciliation between Lutherans with the petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome” (136).
“Responses to ‘The Church: Toward a Common Vision’” theme issue. Exchange: Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical Research 44:3 (2015):
- Koffeman, Leo J. “A New Ecumenical Reference Text?: Responses to ‘The Church: Towards a Common Vision’”: 221-230.
- Bordeianu, Radu. “The Church: Towards a Common Vision: A Commentary in Light of the inter-Orthodox Consultation at Agia Napa in Cyprus”: 231-249.
- De May, Peter. “The Missing Link between The Nature and Mission of the Church (2005) and The Church: Towards a Common Vision (2013): An Assessment of the Impact of ‘A Catholic Contribution toward Revising The Nature and Mission of the Church (2008)’”: 250-269.
- Hellqvist, Elina. “‘Satis est – Necesse est’: The Challenges of the Document ‘The Church of Jesus Christ’ to ‘The Church: Toward a Common Vision’”: 270-283.
- Fubara-Manuel, Benebo Fubara. “In Communion with the Trinitarian God: A Reformed Reflection on ‘The Church: Towards a Common Vision’”: 284-301.
- Salazar-Sanzana, Elizabeth. “The Church: Towards a Shared Vision: A Contribution from Pentecostalism”: 302-316.
Andercheck, Edward C. “Methodist-Catholic Dialogue: Ut unum sint and Geoffrey Wainwright’s Response.” Ecumenical Trends 44:7 (July/August 2015): 97-101, 110.
An analysis of Wainwright’s assessment of Ut unum sint’s five areas for fuller study, the first two easy: 1) joint study groups; 2) complementary approaches to Scripture; the latter 3 more challenging: 3) Eucharist; 4) Magisterium of the church; and 5) the Virgin Mary.
Bevans, Stephen. “Ecclesiology and Missiology: Reflections on Two Recent Documents from the World Council of Churches.” Dialog: A Journal of Theology 54:2 (Summer 2015): 126-134.
Engages two 2013 World Council of Churches documents: The Church: Towards a Common Vision and Together Towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes. “Beginning with the conviction that ecclesiology has to be missiological and missiology ecclesiological, this article reads each document from the basic perspective of the other…followed by a constructive critique from the author’s perspective as a Roman Catholic missionary ecclesiologist” (Abstract), focusing on the decree’s understanding of “dialogue,” the Eastern Churches, and the language of “churches and ecclesial communities,” especially acceptance of the validity of baptism.
Bonny, Johan. “Perspectives on the Future of Ecumenism: the 50th Anniversary of Unitatis Redintegratio.” International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church 15:2 (2015): 108-122.
The historical background of the decree Unitatis Redintegratio is reviewed, followed by “a proper evaluation of the decree and its consequences” (Abstract).
Carter, David. “Baptist-Catholic Dialogue Today.” Ecumenical Trends 44:7 (July/August 2015): 102-109.
Summary and analysis of the second report of the international Baptist World Alliance – Roman Catholic Church dialogue commission, The Word of God in the Life of the Church (2012), focusing on koinonia, Scripture and tradition, sacraments and ordinances, Mary as a model of discipleship, and the ministry of oversight.
Clifford, Catherine E. “No Turning Back: The Testament of Margaret O’Gara (1947-2012).” One in Christ 49:1 (2015): 114-123.
A Roman Catholic theologian’s personal appreciation for and professional assessment of the life and ecumenical legacy of Roman Catholic ecumenist Margaret O’Gara, in the context of the posthumous publication of O’Gara’s collected writings, No Turning Back (Liturgical Press, 2014).
Cohen, Will. “Clarifying the Doctrine of Sister Churches: Subsistence and Interdependence in Catholic-Orthodox Relations.” Pro Ecclesia 24:3 (Summer 2015): 343-365.
“The Ecumenical Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” The Ecumenical Review 67:2 (July 2015):
- Clements, Keith. “Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ecumenical Quest”: 295-301.
- Barnett, Victoria J. “The Ecumenical and Interfaith Landscape in Bonhoeffer’s Times”: 302-307.
- Brown, Stephen. “Bonhoeffer’s Continuing Challenge to the Ecumenical Movement”: 308-318.
- Robra, Martin. “Sing to the Lord a New Song: A Meditation on Bonhoeffer’s Relevance Today”: 319-321.
North American Academy of Ecumenists 2014 Conference Papers. Journal of Ecumenical Studies 50:2 (Spring 2015):
- Budde, Mitzi J. “Exploring a Common Vision for the Church for a North American Context: The 2014 North American Academy of Ecumenists Conference – President’s Introduction”: 202-215.
- Gibaut, John St-Helier. The Church: Towards a Common Vision: 216-248.
- Beardsall, Sandra. “It Takes a Village: Can The Church: Towards a Common Vision Help Raise North American Ecumenists?: 249-264.
- Rausch, Thomas P. “Towards a Common Vision of the Church: Will it Fly?”: 265-287.
- Derderian, Hovnan. “A Reflection in Light of The Church: Towards a Common Vision – Primate’s Banquet Speech”: 286-287.
- Robeck, Cecil M., Jr. “Panel Presentation on The Church: Towards a Common Vision”: 288-294.
- Thorsen, Don. “A Wesleyan-Holiness Perspective on The Church: Towards a Common Vision”: 295-298.
- Kibler, Ray F. III. “Reflections on The Church: Towards a Common Vision”: 299-302.
- Maupin, Madelon, “Panel Presentation on The Church: Towards a Common Vision”: 303-309.
- Tibbs, Paraskevè (Eve). “Common Vision, Common Understanding”: 310-314.
Roberson, Ronald G. “The Bari Document: Faith, Sacraments and the Unity of the Church.” Ecumenical Trends 44:8 (September 2015): 118-123.
The Associate Director of the Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops presents the background and context of the Bari Document (International Catholic-Orthodox, 1987), summarizes it, and “reviews some Catholic reactions to the text…and adds some perspectives provided by a 1999 agreed statement of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, Baptism and ‘Sacramental Economy’” (118).
Wilson, Sarah Hinlicky and Thomas Albert Howard. “Repent and Celebrate: The Reformation after 500 Years.” The Christian Century 132:14 (July 8, 2015): 20-23.
“The best anniversary that we can imagine for the Reformation at 500 is a prodigal distribution of Christ to the hungry as well as to those who have not yet realized that they are starving…if historical divisions are approached in a spirit of truthfulness and contrition, the Reformation’s quincentenary might in fact wonderfully concentrate the mind not only on the past and its hostilities but, more important, on the future and its possibilities” (p. 23).
Carter, David. “An Experience of French Ecumenism.” Ecumenical Trends 44:6 (June 2015): 88-93, 95.
An in-depth report on the March 2015 conference on “The Unity of Christians. Why? And for what purpose?” held at the French Higher Institute of Ecumenical Studies based at the Institut Catholique in Paris. The Methodist ecumenist provides a brief overview of French religious history and the current ecumenical context in France, then summarizes the themes and issues of the conference, with special appreciation for the work of the Groupe des Dombes, and concludes with a description of the French ecumenical journal, Unité des Chrétiens.
Carter, David. “Progress towards Anglican-Methodist Unity.” One in Christ 43:2 (2014): 194-214.
An historical overview of Anglican-Methodist international relations and an update based on three reports: the November 2014 AMICUM (Anglican Methodist International Commission for Unity in Mission) report Into all the World: Being and Becoming Apostolic Churches, the 2014 Irish agreement on full recognition of ministries, and the 2013 Joint Implementation Commission for the Anglican-Methodist Covenant in England’s report The Challenge of the Covenant.
“The Challenges of Ecumenism in Today’s World,” Theme issue on the 2014 Irénée Beaubien Institute of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism. Ecumenism #192-193 (2015):
- Giulea, Dragos. “Re-Thinking Communion and Truth after the Volf-Zizioulas Dispute”: 7-11.
- Casian, Ioan. “Main Elements for an Ecumenical Roadmap: An Essay on a Polyphonic Dialogue”: 12-15.
- Chago, Marc. “Spiritual Unity”: 16-17.
- Clarke, Barry B. “An Ecumenical Dance with Anglicans”: 17-19.
- Allen, Paul. “Catholics and Evangelicals: Complementarity on Creation”: 20-22.
- Koshy, Sheha. “The Challenges of Ecumenism in Today’s World Conference”: 23-24.
- Jamieson, Christine. “Aboriginal Spirituality: An Ecumenical Encounter”: 25-28.
- Ryan, Thomas, CSP. “Spiritual and Receptive Ecumenism”: 29-33.
- Browne, Jessie. “A Reflection of the Challenges of Ecumenism in Today’s World Conference”: 34-35.
- Ladouceur, Paul. “Two Orthodox Visions of Ecumenism: Sergei Bulgakov and Georges Florovsky”: 35-39.
- Routhier, Gilles. “Ecumenism: Out of Style?”: 40-49.
- Castillo, Mariella Valdivia. “The Challenges of Ecumenism in Today’s World”: 50-51.
- Barrette, P. Gilles. “A Witness for Christ in Encounters with Muslims”: 52-55.
- Terreault, Sara. “The Road Increasingly Taken: Pilgrimage as Contemporary Ecumenical Practice?”: 56-59.
- Baker, Cliff. “Reflection Ecumenism in Today’s World”: 60-61.
- Lépine, Christian. “Ecumenism – The Road to Brotherhood”: 62-64.
Conradie, Ernst M. “Ecumenical Perspectives on Pentecostal Pneumatology.” Missionalia 43:1 (April 2015): 63-81.
This paper, delivered by the University of the Western Cape professor of systematic theology and ethics at a conference on the Pentecostal Movement and the Ecumenical Movement, offers an overview of the five movements of Christianity in South Africa, suggests ecumenical movement – Pentecostal movement dialogue and mutual enrichment around theological understandings of the relations of the persons of the Trinity (Father-Spirit; Son-Spirit), and offers three theological questions for dialogue around pneumatology, evil, and spiritual discernment.
Doe, Norman. “The Ecumenical Value of Comparative Church Law: Towards the Category of Christian Law.” Ecclesiastical Law Journal 17:2 (May 2015): 135-169.
“This study explores juridical aspects of the ecclesiology presented in the World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Commission Paper, The Church: Towards a Common Vision (2013). It does so in the context of systems of church law, order and polity in eight church families worldwide: Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, Presbyterian, and Baptist” (Abstract). Response articles from Baroness Hale of Richmond (“Secular Judges and Christian Law”) and Leo J. Koffeman (“The Ecumenical Potential of Church Polity”) follow.
Durheim, Benjamin and David Farina Turnbloom. “Tactical Ecumenism.” Theological Studies 76:2 (June 2015): 311-329.
Two liturgical theologians propose “tactical ecumenism” to describe “concrete embodied practices…outside of official ecumenical dialogues” (especially liturgical acts and collaborative work for justice) as a new hermeneutic for ecumenism, based upon French Jesuit Michel de Certeau’s theory of everyday life practices.
Ford, John T. CSC:
1) “Fr. Paul of Graymoor: Prophet of At-one-ment.” Ecumenical Trends 44:3 (March 2015): 33-37;
2) “Father Paul of Graymoor: Preacher of Church Unity.” Ecumenical Trends 44:6 (June 2015): 81-84;
3) “Father Paul of Graymoor: Pilgrim of Christian Reunion.” Ecumenical Trends 44:6 (June 2015): 85-87, 94-95.
This three-part series is an expanded version of the paper that Fr. Ford, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, presented on June 18, 2014 when the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement conferred the Paul Wattson Christian Unity Award upon him. In addition to religious biography, these essays address the historical, theological and ecumenical lessons of Fr. Paul’s life and ministry for the church and for ecumenists today.
“In Our Time: The Dynamic Relationship between Christian Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue,” papers from the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Conference, September 2013, Current Dialogue 56 (December 2014):
- Colwell, Peter, “Interfaith and Ecumenical Dialogue Resonances, Differences, Problems and Possibilities”: 10-14.
- Clements, Keith. “What is Distinctive about Christian Ecumenism and Why Does it Matter?”: 15-21.
Lim, Timothy T. N. “Recognition and Reception: Towards a Joint Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017 for Churches in Tidewater, Virginia.” Ecumenical Trends 44:4 (April 2015): 57-63.
In this January 2015 presentation to the LARCUM (Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Methodist) Ecumenical Formation Group in Virginia Beach, Dr. Lim summarizes the history of Reformation commemorations and challenges the group to implement a local observance of From Conflict to Communion, the Lutheran-Roman Catholic agreed statement on the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Reformation. He challenges the local group to expand the commemoration to include all Christian denominations in the region and offers a detailed preparation check sheet that identifies areas for the churches to assess themselves and others, suggests corrective activities and inter-group activities, and offers logistical comments to facilitate such a commemoration.
Murray, Paul D. “The Reception of ARCIC I and II in Europe and Discerning the Strategy and Agenda for ARCIC III.” Ecclesiology 11:2 (2015): 199-218.
Describes the work and reception of the first two Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission dialogue reports and characterizes the new ecumenical context of round three of this work (2011-present) as receptive ecumenism
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. “A Church in Dialogue: Toward the Restoration of Unity among Christians.” Origins 44:27 (December 4, 2014): 441-455.
This document “provides an overview of Catholic principles in the work of Christian unity, gives a brief account of what has been achieved in the field of ecumenism over the past 50 years both internationally and in Canada, and looks ahead toward the resolution of continuing challenges…It says the ‘dialogue of life’ takes place in seven areas of ecclesial life: prayer and worship, communication, common witness, mission at the service of the common good, formation, interchurch families, ecclesial learning and what St. John Paul II called the ‘exchange of gifts’ in dialogue” (Abstract).
Chapman, David M. “Roman Catholics and Baptists in Dialogue: Convergence and Divergence Assessed.” Ecclesiology 11:1 (2015): 84-92.
Summarizes The Word of God in the Life of the Church, the 2010 report of the formal conversation between the Baptist World Alliance and the Roman Catholic Church, particularly the theological themes of ecclesiology, Scripture and tradition, baptism, Mary, and episcopé, and addresses the reception of the report and goal of the dialogue.
Conradie, Ernst M. “What on Earth Did God Create? Overtures to an Ecumenical Theology of Creation.” The Ecumenical Review 66:4 (December 2014): 433-453.
In this paper, prepared for the 2013 WCC Busan Assembly, the senior professor of religion and theology at the University of Western Cape (South Africa) asserts that “the Christian confession of faith in the triune creator is best understood as a critical redescription and ascription of this world as we now experience it” (441) and calls for “renewal, reformation, resurrection, rehabilitation, restoration, regeneration, recapitulation, and re-creation” (453).
Crossin, John W., OSFS. “The Church: Towards a Common Vision.” Ecumenical Trends 43:10 (November 2014): 146-148.
This presentation by the Executive Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was made to a Society of Pentecostal Studies Symposium on “Pentecostal and Catholic Responses to ‘The Church: Towards a Common Vision’” (see also the response article listed below by Frank D. Macchia). In it, Fr. Crossin reflects on diversity in unity, raises ministry and primacy questions around the church as communion, and calls for communal models of discernment of the call to unity.
Evangelicals and Catholics Together. “The Two Shall Become One Flesh: Reclaiming Marriage.” First Things No. 251 (March 2015): 23-29.
Another in a series of joint statements from Evangelicals and Catholics Together, an unofficial ecumenical group founded by Richard John Neuhaus and Chuck Colson in 1994, this one in defense of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Howard, Thomas Albert and Mark A. Noll. “The Reformation at Five Hundred.” First Things No. 247 (November 2014): 43-48.
An historical review of various commemorations of the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther’s life (the 100th, 300th and 400th Reformation anniversaries, the 400th and 500th anniversaries of Luther’s birth), to inform the preparations for the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017.
Johnson, Maxwell E. “The Blessed Virgin Mary and Ecumenical Convergence in Doctrine, Doxology, and Devotion.” Worship 88:6 (November 2014): 482-506.
In this essay, originally presented at the National Workshop on Christian Unity, the Notre Dame professor of liturgy finds convergence between Roman Catholics and Lutherans, Anglicans, and to some extent Evangelicals around theological understanding and devotional practices regarding Mary.
Lim, Timothy T.N. “‘What if We Could?’ An Essay on Productive Ecumenism.” Ecclesiology 11:1 (2015): 65-83.
Adapting Axel Honneth’s sociological concept of “productive recognition” into “productive ecumenism,” Lim proposes incremental stages for the churches’ mutual recognition. Using their acceptance of The Church: Towards a Common Vision as a starting point, Lim addresses recognition of confessions, sacramentalities, and diverse witness, calling for a pneumatological ecclesiology.
Macchia, Frank D. “Koinonia in the Spirit: A Pentecostal Engagement with The Church: Towards a Common Vision.” Ecumenical Trends 43:10 (November 2014): 148-151, 158.
This response to the Catholic paper presented to a Society of Pentecostal Studies Symposium on “Pentecostal and Catholic Responses to ‘The Church: Towards a Common Vision’” offers analysis of koinonia ecclesiology in the document from both Trinitarian and Oneness Pentecostal perspectives (see also Fr. John Crossin’s entry, above).
Sedgwick, Timothy F. “On Moral Teaching and the Church: Advances in Ecumenical Understanding.” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 49:4 (Fall 2014): 537-552.
The Episcopal ethicist and ecumenist from Virginia Theological Seminary argues “that the 2014 agreed statement from the Anglican Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the United States (ARC-USA), ‘Ecclesiology and Moral Discernment,’ advances the search for the faith shared in common among Christians by placing moral teachings in the larger context of informing conscience” (Abstract).
Taft, Robert F., S.J. “In Faith and Worship Can Orthodox and Catholics Ever Be One? Communion, not Reunion, in a Future Church of Sister Churches.” Worship 89:1 (January 2015): 2-20.
In a follow-up article from his 2013 Orientale Lumen conference paper on this subject, Fr. Taft addresses “1) Catholic Church structures problematic for the East; 2) What Catholics should do to alleviate these problems; and 3) what could realistically be done now” (p. 3), concluding with the challenge “Let’s get to work!” (p. 20).
World Council of Churches. “Who Do We Say that We Are? Christian Identity in a Multi-Religious World.” The Ecumenical Review 66:4 (December 2014): 458-501.
A product of two years’ joint work from the WCC’s departments of Faith and Order, Mission and Evangelism, and Interreligious Dialogue and consultations with interreligious dialogue partners, this document was adopted by the Central Committee in July 2014. It is a companion piece to “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct” (2011) and seeks to address how Christian awareness of religious pluralism affects questions of Christian identity. Each topic (the Trinity, Scripture, the Church, and eschatology) is addressed in two parts: “key aspects of Christian conviction” and “dialogue, deepening, and discovery.”