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Ecumenism and Ecumenical Theology at the Crossroads
Thomas Bremer
orcid.org/0000-0001-8855-2149
; Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
Abstract
It is widely recognized that the ecumenical movement is
caught in a crisis. Though we can notice a growing number of
ecumenical dialogues, they do not apparently result in Church
unions. The unions that have produced results, such as the
GEKE Churches (Community of Protestant Churches in Europe),
have reached them not through doctrinal consensus but rather
through accepting the unity in diversity. Obviously, dialogue on
doctrinal issues is not the effective way to reach unity. At the
same time, there is inter-confessional cooperation in many fields.
The boundaries on theological, ethical and practical issues are not
the ones which divide confessions, but rather stay around them –
the “conservatives” or “progressives” are often closer to people of
similar opinions in other Churches than to the representatives of
the other wing in their own Church.
This article tries to shed light on the consequences of these
facts on ecumenical theology. A crisis in the ecumenical movement
must necessarily have consequences on ecumenical theology insofar
the latter is the scholarly reflection of ecumenical processes. When
consensus can hardly be reached by dialogue, Church union must
be achieved by other means. Mutual recognition seems to be an
apt way; however, it depends in the end on criteria, too, which will have doctrinal character. The growing significance of interreligious
encounter and of a contextual approach underlines the need of a
new theory of ecumenical processes which would be appropriate
for the current situation of inter-confessional relations.
Keywords
ecumenism; ecumenical theology; ecumenical dialogue; recognition
Hrčak ID:
137228
URI
Publication date:
30.3.2015.
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