Exploring Ecumenism

Anglican Methodist Covenant: Outstanding Issues

The Anglican Methodist Covenant was signed on 1 November 2003.  The photo is from the signing ceremony.  The Covenant commits both churches (the Church of England and the Methodist Church of Great Britain) to a closer working relationship.  It is an example of bilateral ecumenism and so I intend to write a a few posts about it as a case study of ecumenism in England.  As most of the outstanding issues that separate the two churches relate to communion, one way or another, it seems appropriate to discuss the Covenant here.

Mass and Communion

It is always difficult to write about traditions other than your own.  Indeed the temptation to criticise others is always with us and it can make for amusing reading.  But if we are to learn how to live with one another, we need to learn to appreciate each other's beliefs.  Beliefs which mean a lot to others might not mean so much to us.  We can try to understand and appreciate, but at some level, maybe we cannot bring the same passion to the subject as others might.

Nevertheless it is always important to attempt interpretation for the benefit of others; to try to encourage understanding.  Of course I am bound to fail at some level but the effort is worth it.  One reason failure is guaranteed is because I am setting out to simplify and to generalise.  I am not seeking depth of understanding, let alone the experience of attending the Mass.  What I want to show is how those of us who are non-episcopal Christians can at least see a path through the fog. 

Holy Communion: The Sacrament that Divides

I thought it might be helpful at this stage to write about communion.  Communion is possibly the most divisive practice between the churches, and so if we are to understand modern ecumenism we need to understand the problem we have all inherited.

The Catholic Spirit

John Wesley in his sermon On A Catholic Spirit suggested that Christians when they relate to one another must get away from a focus upon differences in belief.  He starts with a verse from the Old Testament where one warrior, in a chariot, says to another, on foot, 'if you heart is right with my heart, climb up beside me'.

Alternative Ecumenisms

Apart from ecclesiology I suppose there are three main reasons for divisions between Christian traditions.  Of these, theological differences and historical persecutions immediately spring to mind but in recent years ethical divisions have become more prominent.  It is interesting that traditions otherwise divided find unity of purpose on ethical grounds.

Approaches to Ecumenism

Owing to its history, ecumenism in England is often perceived as focused solely upon structural unity.  The goal of ecumenism is to bring the churches under one unified structure.  It is easy in these more cynical times to lose sight of the vision of the sixties when the churches glimpsed the possibility of a united church in England.  This vision is long gone and now we have to face up to a number of models of ecumenism.

Christian Diversity in England

One of the most significant changes the ecumenical movement faces in Britain today is the unprecedented increase in the diversity of Christian churches and communities over the last 10 to 15 years.  Many of the new churches are small, local churches and have no presence as national churches.  This has challenged the balance between national and local expressions of Christian unity.

Why do we need Ecclesiology?

Ecclesiology never needed to be invented because it was always there.  Ever since the first child (or adult) asked the question: why do we do things this way?, there had to be some answers.

Local Ecumenical Partnership Ecclesiology

Throughout their history, Local Ecumenical Partnerships have been seen as mainstream churches working together.  This made sense pre-1982, when the English covenant was a live possibility and LEPs were believed to be the way forward for the main Protestant denominations.

The Culture of Congregations

Another dimension to ecclesiology is to do with the culture of congregations.  Formal statements of doctrine are set through each tradition's councils (with some degree of influence from ecumenical councils).  However, the reception of these by local churches is not as straightforward as it might first appear because churches have different cultures and will interpret their formal doctrine according to their culture.