Ecumenism
• Ecumenism a religious movement that seeks to
unite all Christians and bring the various
denominations together in mutual cooperation.
The word comes from the Greek oikoumene,
which means "the whole inhabited world."
Ephesians 4:3 says that Christians should be
"eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace." John 17:21 notes Christ's desire
"that they may all be one, just as you, Father,
are in me, and I in you." So, biblically, Christians
should pursue unity with one another.
Goals of Ecumenism
• The main goal of the ecumenism is to first convince
ourselves that we can all live in the same house (oikos).
In the idea of a household, we can all get along and
dialogue, and be open to each other which is surely what
Christ wants and is the loving thing to do.
• Did He not pray that we should all be one? We may have
separate rooms and thus can all keep our peculiar
habits of worship and faith, thereby maintaining our
identity at the same time share commonality with
different denominations in the household of Christianity.
Why? John 17:20-21
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)
20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also
on behalf of those who will believe in me
through their word, 21 that they may all be
one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in
you, may they also be in us,[a] so that the
world may believe that you have sent me.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are
varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of
activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to
another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to
another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one
Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to
another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by
one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the
Spirit chooses.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
• One Body with Many Members
• 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the
members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13
For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks,
slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.14 Indeed, the
body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot were to
say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not
make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, ‘Because
I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any
less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the
hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell
be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of
them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body
be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot
say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I
have no need of you.’
• 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem
to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members
of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with
greater honour, and our less respectable members are
treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more
respectable members do not need this. But God has so
arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the
inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension
within the body, but the members may have the same
care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer
together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice
together with it.
Religious Dialogue in
Multi-faith
World
What does this mean?
WHAT IS INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE?
• Interreligious dialogue, also referred to as interfaith
dialogue, is about people of different faiths coming to a
mutual understanding and respect that allows them to
live and cooperate with each other in spite of their
differences.
• The term refers to cooperative and positive interaction
between people of different religious traditions, (i.e.
"faiths") at both the individual and institutional level.
Each party remains true to their own beliefs while
respecting the right of the other to practice their faith
freely.
• Interfaith dialogue is not just words or talk. It includes
human interaction and relationships.
• It can take place between individuals and communities
and on many levels. For example, between neighbours,
in schools and in our places of work - it can take place in
both formal and informal settings.
• In Ireland, Muslims and Christians live on the same
streets; use the same shops, buses and schools.
• Normal life means that we come into daily contact with
each other.
• Dialogue therefore, is not just something
that takes place on an official or academic
level only – it is part of daily life during
which different cultural and religious
groups interact with each other directly,
and where tensions between them are the
most tangible.
Ecumenical movements within
Christianity
It means…
The various faiths speaking to each other for
the greater good of the human and non-
human community.
Out of the devastation of World War II
sprang the Australian Committee for the
World Council of Churches (1946). This
developed into the Australian Council of
Churches which, in 1994, gave way to the
National Council of Churches in
Australia.
The movement for Christian unity in was,
initially, an Anglican and Protestant affair.
Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches came in,
in strength, during the 1960s and 70s. For
Catholics, the 2nd Vatican Council (1963-1965)
opened up fresh possibilities for relationships
with other Churches. For instance, and the
transition to the National Council of Churches in
Australia (1994) saw the Catholic Church
become a full participant in Australia's national
ecumenical body.
How the NCC’s works
Departments
The NCCA works through a number of
Commissions, Networks, and Programs.
These constitute the 'departments' of the
NCCA and order its work plan.
A few examples of the
Departments…
Faith and Unity
The NCC's Faith and Unity Commission and operates
on a small budget with a small allocation of paid staff
time. Much of the work is done by theologians from
the churches who act in a voluntary capacity.
Some examples of ecumenical
bodies…
Make Indigenous Poverty History Goal 8: Develop a National Partnership for Development
Target 13: Give Indigenous people the control over managing their own affairs
Indicator 34: Re - establish an elected representative body.
Indicator 35: Monitor the impact of Shared Responsibility Agreements
Indicator 36: Truth in funding – provide adequate funding for proper implementation of programs.
Target 14: Ensure that the wrongs of the past are acknowledged
Indicator 37: The Federal Government says Sorry to the Stolen Generation and pays reparations.
Indicator 38: A Treaty is established
It is the
Indicator 39: Reparations for Stolen Wages are made in full. indicators
that are
important!
“Churches which together are committed to
journey in peace and reconciliation for
their won sake as well as the world,
rediscovering unity in the love of Christ in
order that God's love and healing may be
known to all.”
“Being together enables us to know God
more deeply, to express a common voice
on issues of concern in society, and to
work together on specific projects
concerning the churches and the needs of
the wider community.”
Basis and Objects
The Council oversees the work of the
churches together and the mission of the
Ecumenical Council is spelt out in
its Statement of Objectives to which all
member Churches assent. It is a
fundamental ecumenical principle that no
Church needs to do anything against its
conscience, so that the life of the
Ecumenical Council is centred on the unity
and core truths of God in Jesus Christ.
Unity and Service are seen as the two
fundamental and intertwined aspects of
the mission of Churches Together and four
working areas have been designated for
work: Theological Reflections, Social
Justice, Partnership for Development
and Local Ecumenism. Care for Creation
and inter-religious relationships are also
given specific attention.
What impact does Ecumenism
have on interfaith dialogue?
Interfaith dialogue is
When the various religious traditions speak
to each other…..
Zuleyha Keskin was
recognised for her
contribution to interfaith
dialogue.
So do Churches in the Philippines
speak to other, do Churches do
this?
Here are some venues where
“speaking” takes place
You make up your own mind….
World Council of Churches
The global ecumenical Council of Churches
established in 1948
http://www.oikoumene.org/en
Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Christian Unity is a
key instrument in the Roman Catholic
Church's prayer and work for Christian
unity
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontif
ical_councils/chrstuni/
CFFS
asks you to
know…
What are the ecumenical movements within
Christianity in the Philippines?
Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform
composed of PCEC, CBCP, NCCP,
Association of Major Religious Superiors
And that is…
• This dialogical vision of the human being is rooted in the
biblical and Jewish tradition.
• God did not create us as isolated individual beings.
• He created us as man and woman, as social beings who
can and must see in the other the image and likeness of
God, who must respect and love each other.
• Even revelation is a dialogical process.
In revelation God addresses us and speaks to us as to
friends and moves among us in order to invite and
receive us into his own company (Dei Verbum 2).
The highpoint of this dialogue is the Christ-event itself.
In Jesus Christ, who is true God and true man, we have the
most intensive and totally unique dialogue between God
and man.
For Christians Jesus Christ is the centre and the criterion of
any dialogue, and the common reference point of
dialogue.
The end!
