Ecumenical Movement

The emergence of a global ecumenical movement ranks among the more remarkable religious developments of the twentieth century. Christians have been sharply divided by doctrines, geography, and various institutional factors. Likewise boundaries usually have been quite rigid between persons of different world religions. But the last century, particularly since the 1960s, has witnessed an unprecedented degree of activity focused on enhancing religious understanding, cooperation, and unity.

Ecumenism Defined

The Greek word oikonomos has a broad meaning, sometimes referring to "ecumenics," "economics," or the management of a "household." When used as an adjective, the word ecumenical means "universal" or "global."

Christians historically have reserved its usage exclusively for conversations among its own communions and denominations. Increasingly, however, ecumenism is being understood to be a more relational and inclusive concept that extends beyond Christians and churches to the entire human community within the whole of God's creation. Thus interreligious relationships and dialogue are integral to the ecumenical movement of the twenty-first century.

The Quest for Christian Unity

Inspired especially by John R. Mott's vision at the turn of the twentieth century for "the evangelization of the world in this generation," the modern ecumenical movement began among Protestants (Reformation and Free). The 1910 International Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, often is cited as the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement. Orthodox Christians, after World War I, became more involved, especially when the Ecumenical Patriarchate proposed a "league of churches." Founded in 1948 by merging several Protestant streams of ecumenical activity, the World Council of Churches since 1961 has included both Protestants and Orthodox in a global ecumenical organization.

A transforming breakthrough in contemporary ecumenism dawned when Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). Roman Catholicism not only joined other Christians but began providing leadership in the quest for Christian unity. Past patterns of Christian insularity and exclusivity started to erode, and new modes of community and service began to emerge.

Not all Christians have been supportive or involved in ecumenical efforts toward dialogue and/or greater unity. Pentecostals generally have not participated and evangelicals often have registered suspicion or protested certain ecumenical developments and statements.

Varieties of Ecumenical Organizations

The ecumenical movement is represented in, but not contained within, any single organization. A variety of structures exist that facilitate ecumenical life and work. These exist not only on a global scale but also in regional and local settings. Increasingly, local councils of churches in the United States include persons of other religious faiths.

Roman Catholic ecumenical activity since 1960 has been centered in the Vatican's Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, while the World Council of Churches (WCC) membership incorporates roughly 500 million Protestant and Orthodox Christians in 120 countries. Many evangelical Protestants have globally organized through the World Evangelical Fellowship. In the United States, the National Council of Churches (NCC), founded in 1950, has represented thirty-four mainline Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican church bodies, while evangelical Protestants have formed the National Association of Evangelicals.

Ecumenical organizations have not only been concerned with matters of theology, fellowship, and church organization. Direct services such as disaster relief, care for refugees, and food for the hungry have characterized Church World Service and other ecumenical organizations. Matters of public policy and justice, both nationally and internationally, have been addressed in resolutions, forums, and direct-action programs. Illustrative are the WCC's effort to eradicate apartheid in South Africa and the NCC's involvement in the 1960s civil rights struggles and the crisis of black churches being burned in the 1990s. Contemporary attention is being given to issues of justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.

Dialogians of the Faith

Christians are moving beyond monologue, and dialogue is replacing diatribe. They are becoming dialogians, not simply theologians, of the faith. The ecumenical movement has inspired a wide range of conversations, consultations, negotiations, and organizations.

Bilateral dialogues are interconfessional conversations in which two religious groups seek to determine the degree of consensus existing in their doctrinal teaching, liturgical worship, and church order. Generally bilateral dialogues do not lead to organic union between the two bodies, but rather they serve to eliminate misunderstandings and help define how far mutual recognition of ministries is possible. Illustrative are official church bilateral dialogues such as those between Roman Catholics and Anglicans, or between Methodists and Orthodox, or between Lutheran and Reformed.

Multilateral dialogues involving more than two religious bodies tend to focus on central themes of Christian faith. Sometimes they lead to organic union, such as the creation of the Church of South India in 1947 and the Church of North India in 1970. In the United States the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) was begun in 1962 as an effort to create a "truly catholic, truly evangelical, and truly reformed" church. COCU has involved nine denominations (including three predominately African-American churches). Now known as the Church of Christ Uniting (with the same initials, COCU), it has moved away from its original emphasis on organic union toward a more covenanting, conciliar fellowship mutually recognizing one another's baptism, ministry, and so on. Special attention has been given to addressing racism and sexism in American church life.

Intrafaith dialogues focus on exploring unity and disunity within a confession or a denomination. Thus groups like the Lutheran World Federation or the World Methodist Council facilitate relationships within a particular religious heritage or "family." Increasing tensions and divisions within denominations have prompted internal dialogues between more "liberal" and more "evangelical" members. Other combinations have included dialogues such as the Wesleyan-Holiness consultation among persons from the United Methodist Church, Wesleyan Church, Salvation Army, Church of the Nazarene, Korean Holiness Church, and others.

Interfaith dialogues explore differences and similarities among world religions and movements, along with finding ways for mutual cooperation and service. Especially since the Holocaust of World War II, Christians and Jews have sought to build bridges of understanding and oppose anti-Semitism. Broad bilateral discussions between Christians and Buddhists, Jews and Muslims, and various other combinations also are occurring around the world. A loosely defined World Parliament of Religions met in 1893 and again in 1993. Particularly dramatic was when representatives of twelve major religions gathered in 1986, at the invitation of Pope John Paul II, in Assisi, Italy, to pray for world peace.

An Ecumenical Challenge for the Future

Just prior to his assassination, Martin Luther King, Jr., envisioned a "world house" in which persons of various races, nationalities, and religions had to learn to live together in peace, lest they "perish as fools." This ecumenical challenge poses both the great new problem and the great new opportunity for humanity in the twenty-first century.

See alsoAnti-Semitism; Civil Rights Movement; Globalization; Holocaust; National Councilofthe Churchesof Christinthe U.S.A.; Vatican II; World Councilof Churches.

Bibliography

Abbott, Walter M., S.J., ed. TheDocuments ofVatican II. 1966.

Cracknell, Kenneth. Towards a New Relationship: Christians and People of Other Faith. 1986.

Kinnamon, Michael, and Brian E. Cope, eds. The Ecumenical Movement; an Anthology of Key Texts andVoices. 1997.

Lossky, Nicolas, José Miguez Bonino, John Pobee, Tom Stransky, Geoffrey Wainwright, and Pauline Webb, eds. Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement. 1991.

Donald E. Messer