THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT

Q and A

1. What is the meaning of the term, ECUMENICAL?

The term is derived from the Greek and means, from the inhabited world, or
worldwide.

2. What is the ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT?

Also called ecumenism, it is a movement toward union among persons and

churches calling themselves Christian.

3. What are some of the principal facts concerning disunity among Christians?

There are approximately (2007) 2,199,817,400 Christians in the world. Of this

number, 1,121,516,000 are Catholics, 233,146,000 are Orthodox, and 381,811,000 are
Protestants. ([Link]

Only Catholics belong to a single Church having unity of faith, worship, discipline
and government. The Orthodox, while sharing many points of belief and even practice
with Catholics. Belong to autonomous churches. Protestants belong to a great number
of denominations (some 33,000 according to [Link] with essential
differences in matters of belief, discipline and government.

The ecumenical problem involves the establishment of religious unity among all
of these churches and persons.

4. When did the ecumenical movement start among Protestants?

The meeting of the World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh in 1910 is

regarded as its starting point although the ecumenical idea and purpose had been
stated before that time.

5. What were some of the reasons which induced Protestants to initiate ecumenical
efforts?

Practical problems faced by missionaries of the various churches. Related to the

consideration of these common problems was the basic concern of churchmen and
church members over disunity in matters of belief and practice among churches and
persons who, while professing themselves to be Christians, held widely divergent
beliefs.

6. What have Protestants sought in their ecumenical endeavors?

Protestant unity of spirit has sought organizational expression in a fellowship of

good works and intercommunion rather than in unity of faith, worship and structure.

“The aim of the WCC is to pursue the goal of the visible unity of the Church. This involves a
process of renewal and change in which member churches pray, worship, discuss and work together.”
([Link])

7. What are some of the results of their efforts?

Summarily, they have achieved cooperation among the various denominations

but no essential unity; progress has been made in working and getting along together,
but not in believing together.

The World Council of Churches was established at Amsterdam in 1948…

Some bodies have made progress in mutual relations on the basis of such
common denominators as belief in Sacred Scripture, the rituals of baptism and the
Lord’s Supper, the operations of the ministry, and the fellowship of good works.

There have been some church mergers and an increase in practices of

intercommunion and participation in cooperative missionary enterprises.

8. What is the World Council of Churches?

It is a federation of 349 Christian denominations ([Link]) with

more than 300 million members.

“The World Council of Churches is a Christian organization dedicated to the search for Christian
unity. It is a voluntary fellowship (association) of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and
Saviour.”

“The WCC has 349 member churches. Together, these churches represent some 560 million
Christians (though it is important to note that different churches have different ways of calculating
membership). Today's member churches come from more than 110 countries on all continents and
include Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, United and other churches. A majority of member churches now
come from the South.” ([Link])
9. What are some of the difficulties experienced by Protestants in their ecumenical
endeavors?

They are hampered by several deficiencies: lack of a clear and common

agreement on the nature of religious unity and means for its attainment; lack of an
objective criterion or standard as the basis of unity, and of an authority competent to
judge and speak for all Protestants; dedication for the search for religious unity on the
basis of the principle which has destroyed it – namely, private interpretation, by
individuals and individual church bodies, of the Scriptures as the rule of faith.

10. When did the ecumenical movement start among Catholics?

The Catholic Church – which has from the beginning of its history had and
preserved the unity in faith, morality, worship, discipline and government
communicated to it by Christ – has ever been anxious for the return to this unity of
those who have separated themselves, or been separated, from it. The Church has
always had an ecumenical interest of this nature, which has revealed itself in efforts to
obtain the reunion of separated churches of the East (Orthodox) and to recall to reunion
all the Christian churches which have been separated from Rome since the time of the
Reformation.

Contemporary ecumenical activity among Catholics has increased considerably

within the last 50 to 90 years, and is now greater than ever before.

11. Are there signs of interest among other Christians regarding ecumenical activity by
Catholics?

Churchmen of many denominations applauded Pope John XXIII’s convocation of

the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, and some 40 observer-delegates of
various churches attended its first session. One of the purposes of the Council is to
explore ways and means of promoting unity among all Christians.

12. What is the attitude of the Catholic Church regarding participation by non-Catholics
in such bodies as the World Council of Churches?

Such participation can be considered good if non-Catholic individuals and

churches participate without any violation of the principles of good conscience, and if
the bodies are sincere in their efforts to work for Christian unity on the basis of the
principles and conditions stated by Christ.
13. Why has the Catholic Church not joined the World Council of Churches or other
similar organizations?

The Catholic Church believes it is the one and only Church established by Christ
and commissioned by Him to teach, rule and sanctify men for their eternal salvation.
(CCC 811) Membership in councils such as those described above would imply
recognition by the Catholic Church of the fact that other churches have equal standing,
even though in fact one of them claims to be the one and only church established by
Christ. Because of its very nature, as well as the demands of logic, the Catholic Church
cannot make the recognition implied by membership in councils of this kind.

Furthermore, other Christian bodies regard religious unity as non-existent; they

hold that it is something which has been lost in the course of Christian history and must
be rediscovered. The Catholic Church claims that unity in faith, morals, government
and worship, in accordance with the teachings of Christ, does in fact exist in itself
under the jurisdiction of the Pope, who is the successor of St. Peter and the Vicar of
Christ on earth. (CCC 813 – 817, 820) Since the Church is convinced of its real possession
of this type of unity, which should be the objective of the ecumenical movement, it
would be against this conviction as well as illogical for the Church to join in a search for
it. The Church’s task is to help them find this unity, which already exists. (CCC 820)

14. Does the firm stand of the Catholic Church regarding matters of faith, morals,
worship, discipline and government serve as a block to union with other Christians?

Yes. The Catholic Church, however, as stated above, can take no other position in
view of the foundations of its belief.

15. Why is the Catholic Church interested in the search for unity by Protestants and the
Orthodox?

Because of the obligation and commission entrusted to it by Christ to teach

divine truth in its unity and entirety, to preserve that truth form error, and to
communicate it to all men. (CCC 855)

16. Can the Catholic Church compromise any of the teachings of Faith for the sake of
promoting unity among Christianity?

NO. To do so would be to betray the very nature of divine truth and the Church
itself, as well as the cause of Christian unity.
 For the sake of promoting Christian unity, the Church could make some changes,
but only of a non-essential kind not affecting faith or morals.

17. What is the attitude of the Church toward baptized Christians who hold beliefs at
variance with those of Catholic and practices their religion in good faith?

At the very least, the Church regards them with love and charity, as it does all
men. More significantly, the Church regards them as brothers and sisters who have
been joined to Christ in virtue of their baptism but are impeded from full participation in
the Mystical Body of Christ because of their separation from the Catholic Church. (CCC
818, 838)

Vatican II, Unitatis Redintegratio, 3 no. 1 states:

"However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into
these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ,
and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers .... All who have been
justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called
Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic
Church."

18. What are some of the things other Christians have in common with Catholics?

The Orthodox, or separated Eastern Christians as they are called, have an

apostolic succession of bishops, a valid priesthood, the Mass and valid sacraments,
apostolic and patristic traditions, acceptance of the canons of the first seven ecumenical
councils, and veneration of the Virgin Mary. (Vatican II, Unitatis Redintegratio 13-18)

Protestants, while having less in common with Catholics, are devoted to prayer
and divine worship, the Sacred Scriptures, the observance of the Commandments, and
the ministry of the Word. (Vatican II, Unitatis Redintegratio 19 - 23)

19. Is there a much hope for the accomplishment of large-scale corporate union among
Christians?

Corporate unions of Protestants with Protestants are likely, in the manner

described in no. 10 above. These unions, however, are accidental.

Other large-scale corporate unions are not likely in the near future.

20. What can individual Christians do for the cause of religious unity?
 They cans seek improved mutual understanding, have charity among each other,
and pray that all who claim to be Christian may be gathered in the unity of the
sheepfold of the One Shepherd, which is the Catholic Church. (CCC 822)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 821 states:

“Certain things are required in order to respond adequately to this call:

 a permanent renewal of the Church in greater fidelity to her vocation; such renewal is the driving-
force of the movement toward unity;
 conversion of heart as the faithful "try to live holier lives according to the Gospel"; for it is the
unfaithfulness of the members to Christ's gift which causes divisions;
 prayer in common, because "change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private
prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical
movement, and merits the name 'spiritual ecumenism;"'
 fraternal knowledge of each other;
 ecumenical formation of the faithful and especially of priests;
 dialogue among theologians and meetings among Christians of the different churches and
communities;
 collaboration among Christians in various areas of service to mankind.286 "Human service" is the
idiomatic phrase.”

N. B. CCC refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

SOURCE: 1963 National Catholic Almanac, St. Anthony’s Guild Press, Paterson, New
Jersey (with revisions and additional materials).