It is interesting, reading Inter-Church Programme Proposals, from February 1985, to see how much has changed in the British ecumenical scene over the last 25 years. This is a short pamphlet written to outline the proposed Inter-Church Process, for Lent 1986.
Despite the failure of the English Covenant in 1982, the document is surprisingly upbeat, particularly in the light of the then recent visit of Pope John Paul II to Britain and the encouraging and supportive approach of the Roman Catholic Church at the time.
The Roman Catholic Bishops made a particular reference to the Documents of the Second Vatican Council, because it was there that a reappraisal of their understanding of the Church led Roman Catholics to a new relationship to other Churches and to the world, and to a new understanding of the churches' mission. Their stress on local ecumenism arises from their concern that church members locally should experience the 'creative dislocation' of ecumenical encounters which change our perception of our fellow-Christians and lead to a new awareness of our common mission. (Page 3)
This is an interesting paragraph for two reasons. Much of it resonates with current interest in ecumenical reception and receptive ecumenism. The warmth of the embrace of ecumenical dialogue by the Catholic Church is familiar through to this day, as is the emphasis on mission.
What strikes me though is the concept of 'creative dislocation', which seems to be a much more positive approach to local ecumenism than we find today. This is something I think we'll see as we explore the story of the Inter-Church Process: a much more positive view of local ecumenism.
One of the questions I hope to address is, why has the commitment to local ecumenism become dulled over the last quarter century? The Inter-Church Process was a success by any measure, so why is there so much scepticism today? It is as if church leaders wish to protect local churches from 'creative dislocation' rather than encourage it.
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