Four Priorities for Local Receptive Ecumenism

Receptive Ecumenism Conference:  Sunday 11 January 2009

As usual at these events we were asked about our hopes and expectations.  These were mine.  They're all about how ecumenical issues might be shared and developed locally.  I hope we will be able to

1. explore how local churches together might share in strategic thinking about ecumenism.  It is a fallacy that you need to be at least at national level to work strategically.  Communications and new approaches to participative group work should assist with this.
2. Theological papers should carry a Crystal Mark for plain English. 
3. consider seriously how to engage the interest of people aged under 30 years.
4. consider how theologians and others might transfer some of the debates to the Internet.  There is an urgent need to explore what can and can not be done on line.