Biblical Basis of

Ecumenism and
Interreligious Dialogue
 Ecumenism
 The principle or aim of promoting unity among
the world’s Christian Churches. (Oxford)
 The word comes from the Greek oikoumene,
which means "the whole inhabited world.“
 Ecumenism a religious movement that seeks
to unite all Christians and bring the various
denominations together in mutual
cooperation.
Ecumenism

 Promotes unity across differences -

that is learning from one another that
we might be able to know the beliefs
of one another better, and when we
understand one another better, we
can relate to one another in a deeper
and more meaningful ways.
Principles for Faithful Ecumenism

 1. Ecumenism doesn't ignore doctrinal

distinctiveness but highlights it.
 2. Ecumenism articulates doctrine, it doesn't
develop it.
 3. Ecumenism is born of charity and seeks
unity
 4. Ecumenism is meaningful without full
unification
 Biblical Basis of Ecumenism

 Ephesians 4: 1-6 Unity in the Body of Christ

 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead
a life worthy of the calling to which you have been
called, with all humility and gentleness, with
patience, bearing with one another in love, making
every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just
as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all, who is above all and through all and in
all.
➢ John 17:20-21 (NRSVACE)
➢ ‘Iask not only on behalf of these, but also
on behalf of those who will believe in me
through their word, that they may all be
one. As you, Father, are in me and I am
in you, may they also be in us,[a] so that
the world may believe that you have sent
me.
 1 Corinthians 12: 12-13
 One Body with Many Members
For just as the body is one and has many
members, and all the members of the
body, though many, are one body, so it is
with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were
all baptized into one body—Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all
made to drink of one Spirit.
Goals of Ecumenism
 The primary goal is to convince us that we
can all live in the same house (oikos).
 We can all get along and dialogue and
be open to each other which is surely
what Christ wants and is the loving thing
to do. We may have separate rooms
and thus can all keep our peculiar habits
of worship and faith, thereby maintaining
our identity and show the world that God
would not want us to fight because of our
faith.
“Churches being together are committed
to journey in peace and reconciliation
for their own sake as well as the world,
rediscovering unity in the love of Christ
in order that God's love and healing
may be known to all.”
“Being together enables us to know God
more deeply, to express a common
voice on issues of concern in society,
and to work together on specific
projects concerning the churches and
the needs of the wider community.”
Unity and Service are seen as the two
fundamental and intertwined aspects of
the mission of Churches Together. Some
working areas are as follows:
 Theological Reflections,
 Social Justice,
 Partnership for Development
 Care for Creation
 Local Ecumenism
 Inter-religious relationships
Ecumenical movements within
Christianity
World Council of Churches

The global ecumenical Council of

Churches established in 1948
http://www.oikoumene.org/en
Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Christian Unity is a key
instrument in the Roman Catholic Church's
prayer and work for Christian unity

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/c
hrstuni/
What are the ecumenical movements within
Christianity in the Philippines?

Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform

composed of
1. PCEC,
2. CBCP,
3. NCCP,
4. Association of Major Religious Superiors
Do Churches in the Philippines
speak to other, like this?
Religious Dialogue in
Multi-faith
World
Interfaith dialogue is
When the various religious traditions
speak to each other…..

Zuleyha Keskin
was recognised for
her contribution to
interfaith dialogue.
It means…

The various faiths speaking to

each other for the greater good
of the human and non-human
community.
What then is Interreligious Dialogue?

➢ Interreligious dialogue (interfaith dialogue)

is about people of different faiths coming to
a mutual understanding and respect that
allows them to live and cooperate with each
other in spite of their differences.
WHAT IS INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE?

➢ The term refers to cooperative and positive

interaction between people of different
religious traditions, (i.e. "faiths") at both the
individual and institutional level.
➢ Each party remains true to their own beliefs
while respecting the right of the other to
practice their faith freely.
 Interreligious/Interfaith dialogue is not just
words or talk. It includes human interaction
and relationships.
 It can take place between individuals and
communities and on many levels.
 For example, between neighbours, in schools
and in our places of work - it can take place in
both formal and informal settings. E.g. Muslims
and Christians live on the same streets; use the
same shops, buses and schools. Normal life
means that we come into daily contact with
each other.
 Dialogue therefore, is not just something
that takes place on an official or
academic level only – it is part of daily
life during which different cultural and
religious groups interact with each other
directly, and where tensions between
them are the most tangible.
Theological Basis of Dialogue
 This dialogical vision of the human being is
rooted in the biblical and Jewish tradition.
 God did not create us as isolated individual
beings.
 He created us as man and woman, as
social beings who can and must see in the
other the image and likeness of God, who
must respect and love each other.
 Even revelation is a dialogical process.
In revelation God addresses us and speaks to us
as to friends and moves among us in order to
invite and receive us into his own company (Dei
Verbum 2).
The highpoint of this dialogue is the Christ-event
itself.
In Jesus Christ, who is true God and true man, we
have the most intensive and totally unique
dialogue between God and man.
For Christians Jesus Christ is the centre and the
criterion of any dialogue, and the common
reference point of dialogue.
Here are some venues where
“speaking” takes place