Ecumenism Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Protestantism=== Protestants are involved in a variety of ecumenical groups, working in some cases toward organic denominational unity and in other cases for cooperative purposes alone. Because of the wide spectrum of Protestant denominations and perspectives, full cooperation has been difficult at times. [[Edmund Schlink]]'s ''Ökumenische Dogmatik'' (1983, 1997) proposes a way through these problems to mutual recognition and renewed church unity. ====Lutheranism==== [[File:2bishopsReformation.jpg|thumb|Bishop [[John M. Quinn]] of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona]] and Bishop Steven Delzer of [[List of ELCA synods|Evangelical Lutheran Southeastern Minnesota Synod]] leading a Reformation Day service in 2017]] The [[Lutheran World Federation]] has several ongoing dialogues with respect to ecumenism:<ref name="LWF2020">{{cite web |title=Ecumenical Relations |url=https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/ecumenical-relations |publisher=Lutheran World Federation|access-date=15 May 2020 |language=en |date=2020}}</ref> * Lutheran-Anglican<ref name="LWF2020"/> * Lutheran-Mennonite-Roman Catholic<ref name="LWF2020"/> * Lutheran-Orthodox<ref name="LWF2020"/> * Lutheran-Reformed<ref name="LWF2020"/> * [[Catholic–Lutheran dialogue|Lutheran-Roman Catholic]]<ref name="LWF2020"/> In 1999, the representatives of Lutheran World Federation and Catholic Church signed the [[Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification]], resolving the conflict over the nature of [[Justification (theology)|Justification]] which was at the root of the [[Protestant Reformation]]. On July 18, 2006, delegates to the [[World Methodist Council|World Methodist Conference]] voted unanimously to adopt the Joint Declaration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.1863123/k.FF49/World_Methodists_approve_further_ecumenical_dialogue.htm|title=News Archives|publisher=UMC.org|date=July 20, 2006|access-date=10 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0604186.htm |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20060725190303/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0604186.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 25, 2006 |title=CNS Story: Methodists adopt Catholic-Lutheran declaration on justification |publisher=Catholicnews.com |date=July 24, 2006 |access-date=10 October 2013 }}</ref> The [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]] (representing the "80 million members of Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed, United, Uniting, and Waldensian churches"), adopted the ''Declaration'' in 2017.<ref>Heneghan, Tom. “Reformed Churches Endorse Catholic-Lutheran Accord on Key Reformation Dispute.” ''Religion News Service'' (6 July 2017).</ref> On [[Reformation Day]] in 2016, [[Pope Francis]] of the Catholic Church travelled to Sweden (where the Lutheran Church is the [[national Church]]) to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation at [[Lund Cathedral]], which serves as the cathedra for the [[Bishop of Lund]] of the [[Church of Sweden]], a Lutheran Church.<ref name="MacKinnon2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-francis-visit-sweden-october-mark-reformation-anniversary-113851358.html|title=500 years after reformation, Pope knocks on Lutherans' door|last=MacKinnon|first=Angus|date=25 January 2016|publisher=Yahoo News|language=en|access-date=22 February 2017|quote=Pope Francis will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by attending an ecumenical service in Sweden as a guest of the Lutheran Church, the Vatican said Monday. In a highly symbolic act of reconciliation that would even recently have been unthinkable for a Catholic pontiff, Francis will visit the Swedish city of Lund on 31 October for a commemoration jointly organised by his own inter-faith agency and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).|archive-date=23 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223045342/https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-francis-visit-sweden-october-mark-reformation-anniversary-113851358.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> An official press release from the [[Holy See]] stated:<ref name="HSPO2016"/> {{quotation|The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Roman Catholic Church joint event will highlight the 50 years of continuous ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans and the joint gifts of this collaboration. The Catholic-Lutheran commemoration of 500 years of the Reformation is structured around the themes of thanksgiving, repentance and commitment to common witness. The aim is to express the gifts of the Reformation and ask forgiveness for division perpetuated by Christians from the two traditions.<ref name="HSPO2016">{{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2016/06/01/160601e.html|title=Preparations to commemorate 500 years since the Reformation|date=1 June 2016|publisher=Holy See Press Office|language=en|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref>}} An ecumenical service was presided over by [[Munib Younan|Bishop Munib Younan]], the president of the Lutheran World Federation, {{ill|Martin Junge|de}}, the General Secretary of the LWF, as well as Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/01/25/pope_to_travel_to_sweden_for_joint_reformation_commemoration/1203462|title=Pope Francis to travel to Sweden for joint Reformation commemoration|date=26 January 2016|publisher=[[Vatican Radio]]|language=en|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref> Representatives from the Anglican Communion, Baptist World Alliance, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Salvation Army also participated in the predominantly Lutheran and Roman Catholic event.<ref name="Agnew2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/pope-to-attend-ceremony-marking-500-years-since-reformation-1.2510015|title=Pope to attend ceremony marking 500 years since Reformation|last=Agnew|first=Paddy|date=25 January 2016|publisher=[[The Irish Times]]|language=en|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref> Pope Francis, in a joint statement with Bishop Munib A. Younan, stated that "With gratitude we acknowledge that the Reformation helped give a greater centrality to sacred Scripture in the Church's life".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/world/europe/pope-francis-in-sweden-urges-catholic-lutheran-reconciliation.html|title=Pope Francis, in Sweden, Urges Catholic-Lutheran Reconciliation|last=Anderson|first=Christina|date=31 October 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|language=en|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref> Susan Wood, a [[Sister of Charity]], who is a systematic theology professor and chair of the theology department at Marquette University and a former president of the [[Catholic Theological Society of America]], stated that "Since Vatican II, we have acknowledged an imperfect communion between Lutheran and Catholics" and that "There is no substantial difference in Lutheran and Catholic belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist".<ref name="Pattison2017">{{cite web |last1=Pattison |first1=Mark |title=How Catholic-Lutheran ecumenical efforts have borne fruit in past 50 years |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/09/18/how-catholic-lutheran-ecumenical-efforts-have-borne-fruit-past-50-years |publisher=[[America Magazine]] |access-date=15 May 2020 |language=en |date=18 September 2017}}</ref> Wood stated that in the near future intercommunion could happen in places "where people can't get out, like nursing homes and prisons."<ref name="Pattison2017"/> The [[Porvoo Communion]] is a [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] that established [[altar and pulpit fellowship]] between Churches of the Lutheran and Anglican tradition.<ref name="Fuchs2008">{{cite book |last1=Fuchs |first1=Lorelei F. |title=Koinonia and the Quest for an Ecumenical Ecclesiology: From Foundations Through Dialogue to Symbolic Competence for Communionality |date=2008 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0-8028-4023-3 |language=en}}</ref> ====Anglicanism==== {{main article|Anglican Communion and ecumenism}} The members of the Anglican Communion have generally embraced the Ecumenical Movement, actively participating in such organizations as the World Council of Churches and the [[National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA]]. Most provinces holding membership in the Anglican Communion have special departments devoted to ecumenical relations; however, the influence of [[Liberal Christianity]] has in recent years caused tension within the communion, causing some to question the direction ecumenism has taken them. Each member church of the Anglican Communion makes its own decisions with regard to [[intercommunion]]. The 1958 [[Lambeth Conference]] recommended "that where between two Churches not of the same denominational or confessional family, there is unrestricted ''[[full communion|communio in sacris]]'', including mutual recognition and acceptance of ministries, the appropriate term to use is '[[full communion]]', and that where varying degrees of relation other than 'full communion' are established by agreement between two such churches the appropriate term is '[[intercommunion]]'." Full communion has been established between Provinces of the Anglican Communion and these Churches: * Old Catholic Churches of Europe * [[Philippine Independent Church]] * [[Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar]] * [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] * [[Moravian Church]] in America, Northern and Southern Provinces Full communion has been established between the Anglican Churches of Europe ([[Church of England|England]], [[Church in Wales|Wales]], [[Episcopal Church of Scotland|Scotland]], [[Church of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church|Spain]], [[Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church|Portugal]] and [[Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe|Gibraltar in Europe]]) and the Lutheran Churches of Northern Europe ([[Church of Norway|Norway]], [[Church of Sweden|Sweden]], [[Church of Denmark|Denmark]], [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland|Finland]], [[Church of Iceland|Iceland]], [[Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church|Estonia]], [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania|Lithuania]], [[Lutheran Church in Great Britain|Great Britain]] and the [[Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad]]) with the [[Porvoo Communion]]. The [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] is currently engaged in dialogue with the following religious bodies: * [[Churches Uniting in Christ]] (CUIC) * [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] * [[Catholic Church]] * [[Presbyterian Church USA]] * [[United Methodist Church]] * [[Reformed Episcopal Church]] and the [[Anglican Province of America]] Worldwide, an estimated forty million Anglicans belong to churches that do not participate in the Anglican Communion {{Citation needed|date=April 2013}}, a particular organization limited to one province per country. In these Anglican churches, there is strong opposition to the ecumenical movement and to membership in such bodies as the World and National Councils of Churches. Most of these churches are associated with the [[Continuing Anglican movement]] or the movement for [[Anglican realignment]]. While ecumenicalism in general is opposed, certain Anglican church bodies that are not members of the Anglican Communion—the [[Free Church of England]] and the [[Church of England in South Africa]], for example—have fostered close and cooperative relations with other evangelical (if non-Anglican) churches, on an individual basis.{{cn|date=January 2022}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page