Review article
https://doi.org/10.31823/d.25.3.7
Important Steps on the Path of Ecumenism in the Catholic Church with short Reference to the Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue
Ivan Macut
orcid.org/0000-0001-8343-8902
; Catholic Faculty of Theology University of Split, Split, Croatia
Abstract
In this article, we are discussing the main ecumenical steps that have been taken in the Catholic Church regarding ecumenism with special emphasis on the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. Besides the introduction and conclusion, the article is divided into four short chapters. In the first chapter, entitled “The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”, we briefly presented the origin and emphasized the importance of this week of prayer. Namely, in many parish communities it is often the only ecumenical activity throughout the year. The second chapter speaks of the Second Vatican Council and the ecumenical opening of the Catholic Church through several different emphases: “Focus on Ecumenism”, “Secretariat for Christian Unity”, “The Presence of Non-Catholic Observers at the Council”, “New Approach to Ecumenism - Unitatis Redintegratio”, “Subsistit in”, “Hierarchia veritatum”. The third chapter discusses the joining of the Catholic Church in the “Faith and Order” movement, while the fourth chapter discusses the “Joint Declaration on Justification” from 1999 and the 2013 document entitled “From Conflict to Communion”. In conclusion, we can say that the attitude of the Catholic Church in the 20th century towards ecumenism should be divided into two parts: before and after the Second Vatican Council. The 500th anniversary of the Reformation is an opportunity to continue the ecumenical dialogue between the Lutherans and the Catholics even more fervently, and to make the final steps towards a visible unity.
Keywords
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; Second Vatican Council; Lutherans; Subsistit in; From Conflict to Communion
Hrčak ID:
186524
URI
Publication date:
18.9.2017.
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