Exploring Ecumenism

A New Ecumenical Vision

In this and the next few posts I want to explore a few scenarios.  I suppose the first post in this series is the one about scenario planning .  One drawback of the method is its costs in terms of people, time and finance.  It would be a major step forward to carry out something like it.  Even within one country, to bring together the widest range of representatives of all types of church to work on future scenarios would be a very significant step.  Whilst this is something which could be attained over a few years focused work, it is not likely to happen in the foreseeable future. 

So, I want to ask what some new scenarios might be like.  The point of this and next two posts is not to suggest a way forward for the churches in Britain, only they can do that, but to show there are positive scenarios available to us beyond traditional full visible unity.

Participative Methods 6: Scenario Planning

This is another in my occasional series exploring specific participative methods.  The others can be found under the category Participation and the first in the series is here.

Scenario Planning is described in full in Adam Kahane's book 'Solving Tough Problems' .  It works like this.

Yet More About Personal Ordinariates

OK OK I can't leave this topic alone.  Last time  I hoped would be the last post on this topic but I have found two more articles that reflect on the importance of this Vatican initiative.

Hopefully a Final Word about Personal Ordinariates

As the dust begins to clear, the various positions taken up by religious commentators are emerging.  In this post, I present two very contrasting articles. 

How Churches Hold Themselves Together

Recently, I wrote about an elephant in the room  with respect to ecumenical conversations in Britain.  This time I am going to identify a second elephant.  We need an understanding of intra-ecumenism, the ecumenism within the historic traditions.

Most of the mainstream traditions are in fact alliances where churches have consented to a particular ecclesiology for the sake of unity.  Some of these alliances go back hundreds of years and so it is true in a sense that many traditions are themselves evidence that ecumenism works, up to a point.

The Goal of Ecumenism 5: Striving for the Goal

This is the fifth in a sequence of posts based upon Chris James' blog post  The Goal of Ecumenism: Why and how to be one , part VI.  The first of these posts is  Why Are We Divided?, the second is  The Visibility of the Church, the third is  Ecumenism and Ecclesiality and the fourth is Openness versus Effort .

Newbigin hoped the unified Church of South India would serve, as a catalyst for more local unions.  Sadly, it was largely an isolated event and therefore, according to Newbigin, it "failed in one of its great purposes".

It is worth asking why it failed to be a catalyst.

Two Ecumenisms?

The arrangements put in place by the Roman Catholic Church  to admit Anglicans disillusioned by women bishops has highlighted a couple of other issues about ecumenism in Britain. 

The joint statement  made by the two archbishops recently states what might be called mainstream ecumenism will continue between the two churches.  These are the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC ) and the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM ).  I am sure they will continue but we need to understand something of the context in which they will continue.

It is significant that this move came as something of a surprise to the Archbishop of Canterbury and I will explore the reasons for this in my next post.  It seems to me that we are moving into an era where we have at least two ecumenisms.

The Goal of Ecumenism 4: Openness versus Effort

This is the fourth in a sequence of posts based upon Chris James' blog post  The Goal of Ecumenism: Why and how to be one , part V.  The first of these posts is  Why Are We Divided?, the second is  The Visibility of the Church and the third is Ecumenism and Ecclesiality .

I must confess to a degree of impatience with the idea that ecumenism is a some sort of eschatological truth.  Of course I understand that the fullness of God's plan for humanity will not be revealed until the end times.  But how practical is it to assert this truth?  It feels like a cop out: we can't do anything about it now because it is an eschatological truth.

Anglicans Entering the Catholic Church

Okeydoke, my armchair hero
Let's see if you're equal to the task
Put your money where your mouth is ...

The Wall of Death
Is a time of truth
It's an act of faith ...

(From 'The Wall of Death' sung by Pete Atkin, lyrics Clive James.)

On Wednesday 20 October 2009, the Roman Catholic Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced arrangements for Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering the Catholic Church.  The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams and the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols issued a joint statement .  If you follow the link you will also find a link to the Roman Catholic announcement.

Clive James' words and Peter Atkin's song have been with me ever since.  Sadly, the song is not available in full on the internet.  Given where I stand theologically, it is hardly surprising that my views are what they are but I would not wish anyone to take offence at the image of the wall of death.  You will see I use it in a way that is positive albeit challenging.

The Goal of Ecumenism 3: Ecumenism and Ecclesiality

This is the third in a sequence of posts based upon Chris James' blog post  The Goal of Ecumenism: Why and how to be one .  The first of these posts is  Why Are We Divided? and the second is The Visibility of the Church .

Section IV of the post explores 'Ecumenism and Ecclesiality'.  Here James contrasts the view that the churches are united through a common baptism with the view that no church is in itself complete.  This incompleteness is expressed through disunity amongst other things and requires repentance as the root of the ecumenical vision.