Celebrating a Century of Ecumenism

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Contents

Foreword Walter Cardinal Kasper.............................................................................................................................................................ixAcknowledgments..............................................................................................................................................................................xiAbbreviations................................................................................................................................................................................xiiiPerspective: With Gratitude for a Century of Ecumenism.......................................................................................................................................xvIntroduction.................................................................................................................................................................................xviiiPart I: Achievements of International Multilateral Dialogue..................................................................................................................................11. Achievements and Limits of the World Council of Churches S. Wesley Ariarajah.............................................................................................................32. The World Council of Churches: An Orthodox Perspective Peter C. Bouteneff................................................................................................................153. Faith and Order: Achievements of Multilateral Dialogue Mary Tanner.......................................................................................................................244. The Achievements of Faith and Order: A Catholic Perspective William Henn, OFM Cap........................................................................................................38Part II: Achievements of International Bilateral Dialogue following the Second Vatican Council...............................................................................................535. Lutheran-Roman Catholic World-Level Dialogue: Selected Remarks Jared Wicks, SJ...........................................................................................................556. The History, Methodology, and Implications for Ecumenical Reception of the Apostolicity Study of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic International Dialogue William G. Rusch.....................777. Methodist-Roman Catholic International Dialogue: Mutual Reassessment in a New Context Geoffrey Wainwright................................................................................938. Church as Koinonia in the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Dialogue Lorelei F. Fuchs, SA...........................................................................................1059. Achievements of ARCIC and IARCCUM Donna Geernaert, SC....................................................................................................................................12210. Perspectives on Christ, the Church, and Christian Social Witness John A. Radano.........................................................................................................14211. The Achievements of the Pentecostal-Catholic International Dialogue Cecil M. Robeck Jr..................................................................................................16312. Pentecostal-Catholic International Dialogue: A Catholic Perspective Ralph Del Colle.....................................................................................................19513. Evangelical-Roman Catholic International Dialogue: Opening New Frontiers Jeffrey Gros, FSC..............................................................................................21814. Disciples of Christ-Roman Catholic International Commission for Dialogue: Sharing the Fruits Margaret O'Gara............................................................................23615. The Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church Ronald G. Roberson, CSP.................................................24916. Two Phases of Baptist-Roman Catholic International Theological Conversations Susan K. Wood, SCL.........................................................................................26417. Catholics and Mennonites in Search of "the Spirit of Unity in the Bond of Peace" Helmut Harder..........................................................................................28318. Oriental Orthodox-Catholic International Dialogue Ronald G. Roberson, CSP...............................................................................................................304Contributors.................................................................................................................................................................................315Index of Names...............................................................................................................................................................................319Index of Subjects and Major Themes...........................................................................................................................................................321

Chapter One

S. Wesley Ariarajah

Edinburgh 1910 and the Ecumenical Movement

It is appropriate that we have this assessment of the ecumenical movement, and of the achievements and limits of the World Council of Churches (WCC) within it, as we celebrate the centennial of the first World Missionary Conference of 1910 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Although Edinburgh was inspired by John R. Mott's vision of evangelization of the world in that generation, there are clear indications that the Edinburgh Conference inspired the birth of both the Faith and Order and the Life and Work movements. These two movements, alongside the International Missionary Council, constitute the core of the WCC. Charles H. Brent, the pioneer of the Faith and Order movement, was at the Edinburgh Conference. He was so impressed with the ecumenical possibility that the Edinburgh Conference demonstrated in the area of mission that on his return from Edinburgh in 1910 he spoke at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, USA, of the need for church unity and of his own conviction that "a world conference on Faith and Order should be convened." In response to his call the Convention resolved "that a joint commission be appointed to bring about a conference for the consideration of questions touching Faith and Order." Several other churches were also encouraged to pass similar resolutions, and the work of the newly appointed commission would result in the first World Conference on Faith and Order in Lausanne in 1927.

J. H. Oldham, another pioneer of the ecumenical movement, was also at Edinburgh and served as the Executive Secretary of the Conference. At the end of the Conference he became the secretary of the Continuation Committee, and was instrumental in the creation of the International Missionary Council (IMC), which he led as its secretary. Even though the roots of the Life and Work movement lie in the early peace movements following the First World War and in the passion for unity, peace, and justice on the part of Archbishop Nathan...