Motivations for Ecumenism
Sunday, April 6, 2014
6:33 PM
Where does our concern for Christian Unity come from?  if we look at the two most often quoted statements about Christian unity within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I think we see two dominant themes that emerge.  Thomas Campbell said in Declaration and Address, . . . .  Years before Barton Stone said, " Polar Star."  What Campbell emphasized is the Unity emerges from our Creation.  Stone emphasized unity as part of our Call.  The themes of creation and call emerge in much of the writing and speaking about Christian unity.  
The words “ecumenical” and “ecumenism” can refer to any effort among Christians to step across boundaries lines that separate one part of the body of Christ from another.  The word ecumenism is derived from the Greek word oikoumene which refers to the inhabitants of the whole earth—the whole inhabited world.  In the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the author speaks of Polycarp praying frequently for the church in the whole world (5:1, 8:1) and also affirms Christ as “shepherd of the of the whole church throughout the world” poimena tas kata ten oikoumenen katholikes ekklesias (19:2).  The term evolved as Christianity was accepted within the Roman Empire to refer the convened councils that expressed the faith intended to be accepted by all Christians—i.e., the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381), Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451) and the creeds and agreements that emerged from them.  
In the 20th Century, the term developed with a particular focus on regional, state, national and international organizations designed to bring together different denominations of Christians for cooperative purposes.  So histories and introductions of Ecumenism will focus a great deal of attention to the history surrounding the creation of the World Council of Church, National Council of Churches and the contributions of organizations like the YMCA and the YWCA.  When people use the word today they mean either this more particular manifestation of Christian unity expressed in organization or formal programs or more generally to the work dedicated to expressing Christian unity beyond or in spite of denominational division without formal organizational structures.  Ecumenism is explicitly Christian.  This does not mean that interreligious dialogue is unimportant.  It is very important. But, ecumenism functions within the shared theological affirmations and language system of Christians.  
What motivates us to consider Ecumenism and to add ecumenical service to our personal and our church's to do list?   Several themes or motivations emerge.  
Unity emerges from our creation.  
God created the church and created the church one.  Actions that serve Christian unity necessarily come from how the church was created.
Thomas Campbell's Declaration and Address, "Proposition. 1. THAT the church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one ; consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the scriptures, and that manifest the same by their tempers and conduct, and of none else as none else can be truly and properly called Christians."  
Actions that violate the oneness of the church are sin.
NOTE:  Introductions to Ecumenism often begin with tracing the sources of division.
The opening lines from the Second Vatican Council document entitled, "Unitatis Redintegratio/Decreee on Ecumenism" "The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ; all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their different ways, as if Christ Himself were divided.(1) Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the holy cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature.."[link]
Unity is connected to our call  
Barton Stone, "Let unity be our polar star."  
The indicative-imperative trajectory provides a helpful way to understand the relationship between theological language around ecumenism emerging from the church's creation and the church's call.
Indicative-Imperative language emerged in studies of Paul's letters to help explain a tendency Paul had of first identifying what was true (indicative) and then drawing conclusions about how we should act (imperative)
Ecumenical discourse that emphasizes our creation as one church is indicative language. 
Ecumenical discourse that emphasizes our call to manifest the essential unity of the church is imperative language.  
The first Assembly of the Word Council of Churches tried to articulate this indicative-imperative trajectory, "It is not in man's [sic] power to banish sin and death from the earth, to create the unity of the Holy Catholic Church, to conquer the hosts of Satan.  But it is within the power of God.  He has given us at Easter the certainty that His purpose will be accomplished.  But, by our acts of obedience and faith, we can on earth set up signs which point to the coming victory."  
Acting in ways that betray the unity of the Church is sin.  We work to manifest unity in order to avoid 
The unity of the Church serves an Evangelistic purpose (Mission)
The unity of the Church enables more effective service to the world (Service)