Stud. DANIEL Mdlin Ionacu T.P. anul 1 Prof.

ANCA Popescu
The ecuenical o!eent
"ALLIST#S $A%E
The ecuenical o!eent is an iportant acti!it& that has 'ecoe
increasin(l& hi(her aon( Christians in sec. )). Its purpose is to restore
soe for of (lo'al Christian unit&* 'e&ond denoinational 'arriers. She
or(ani+ational pea,ed in 1-./ 0hen it 0as founded $orld Council of
Churches* and the eotional pea, 0as in 1-1/* shortl& after 2atican II* the
Catholic Church (ot into the 'oat ecuenical* initiall&* the Catholic Church 0as
!ie0ed 0ith (reat hostilit&. In the first half or the first t0o thirds of the centur&*
the ain o'3ecti!e of an& ecuenist 0as to (et soe sort of or(anic unit&*
soe 'ecae e!en l&rical dreain( to ha!e a 4one church4. There 0as
ephasis on er(ers of churches* churches united* ultilateral dialo(ues and
eucharistic fello0ship.
The ecuenical o!eent ha!e three ain areas5 6aith and #rder
7theolo(&8* Life and $or, 7practical Christianit&* social and econoic8 and the
International Missionar& Council 7issionar& 0or, in forei(n countries8. 9&
1-11 the last of these three ain areas 'ecae 3oined $orld Council of
Churches. There are an& other ecuenical or(ani+ations* an& of the
cooperatin( or 4associated4 0ith the $CC. There are an& national or
re(ional councils : such as the National Council of Churches in the ;SA or the
European Conference of Churches. There are churches 0ho oppose openl&
and resolutel& to an&thin( associated 0ith ecuenis. The& can 'e <uite
!irulent in their attac,s and see the (reatest e!il the ecuenical o!eent for
church life toda&. #thers* such as Se!enth:da& Ad!entists* in re(ard to truth
and prophetic ission* ha!e ,ept & distance* 'ut not (o in the 'oat
ecuenical* 'ut reco(ni+e soe of the positi!e* such as reli(ious freedo*
interfaith relations and a less hostile (reater e<uit& in relationships.
I a a(ainst the ecuenical o!eent* 'ecause it is a 4net0or,4 !er&
lar(e* hasn=t the future ahead. I sa& this 'ecause those fe0 0ho oppose
currentl& no o!eent* is soethin( for huanit& and their 0ord is ta,en into
account. 6ro & point of !ie0 to tr& this o!e 'ecause fro it* soe 0ill
ha!e ad!anta(es.
6acultatea de Teolo(ie #rtodo>a 9ucuresti