'Ecumenical' comes from the Greek oikumene, meaning 'the inhabited earth' (oikos, meaning 'home,' is also the root for 'economy' and 'ecology').

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1 Ecumenism 'Ecumenical' comes from the Greek oikumene, meaning 'the inhabited earth' (oikos, meaning 'home,' is also the root for 'economy' and 'ecology'). The ecumenical movement in the Episcopal Church is its response to Jesus' prayer for his disciples in John 17:21 "that they may all be one." 1. Seek reconciliation for a larger goal of God s mission Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion - To seek reconciliation in the world we must seek reconciliation with one another. Anglican have taken the lead on ecumenism but Anglicanism has never seen itself as the final or full expression of the Church. 2. Finding what we have in common as well as recognizing the gifts we can provide to each other. Bishop Dean Wolfe Diocese of Kansas -Finding out what we have in common, rediscovering the source of our unity Justin Welby -We have to live out the unity that God has given us Larcum - In these joint undertakings our divisions are being healed and we become, attuned to the Spirit who will make us one. We recognize that it is the Holy Spirit who bestows unity. The same Spirit calls us to uncover convergences and to achieve consensus so that we can advance toward the goal of unity willed by Christ. Through conversion, this shared commitment opens us to new possibilities under the guidance of God s Spirit as we seek to provide an effective expression of God s love in Christ Various examples of Ecumenism 1. Full Communion Partners Anglican understanding of "full communion" differs from that of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity in that the churches that enter into such arrangements do not consider themselves as forming together a single church. Full communion was first reached by provinces of the Anglican Communion with the Old Catholic Churches on the basis of the Bonn Agreement of 1931: -Each Communion recognizes the catholicity and independence of the other and maintains its own; -Each Communion agrees to admit members of the other Communion to participate in the Sacraments; -Intercommunion does not require from either Communion the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion, or liturgical practice characteristic of the other but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of the Christian faith. Episcopal church ( We understand full communion to be a relation between distinct churches in which each recognizes the other as a catholic and apostolic church holding the essentials of the Christian faith. Within this new relation, churches become interdependent while remaining autonomous Diversity is preserved, but this diversity is not static. Neither church seeks to remake the other in its own image, but each is open to the gifts of the other as it seeks to be faithful to Christ and his 1

2 mission. In such a relationship, communicant members of each church would be able freely to communicate at the altar of the other, and ordained ministers may officiate sacramentally in either Church As an example, Episcopal-United Methodist Dialogue we understand this to include transferability of members; mutual recognition and interchangeability of ministries; freedom to use each other s liturgies; freedom to participate in each other s ordinations and installations of clergy, including bishops; and structures for consultation to express, strengthen, and enable our common life, witness, and service, to the glory of God and the salvation of the world. A. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America What has happened? Joint congregations and mission planning: A number of Episcopal and Lutheran congregations across the United States are becoming more and more integrated by sharing buildings, clergy, and worship with each other, in the spirit of full communion. The two churches are also planting new ministries together and cooperating in outreach ministries. Combined disaster relief efforts: Lutherans and Episcopalians have pooled their resources to help respond to the victims of natural disasters, from floods in Iowa to hurricanes in Mississippi. Shared personnel: The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America share campus ministries and training for federal prison and military chaplains, as well as an international policy and advocacy staff person in Washington, D.C. B. The Moravian Church - Northern and Southern Provinces C. Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht D. Philippine Independent Church E Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, India 2. Dialogues between the Episcopal Church and other churches The 1988 Lambeth Conference, a gathering of Anglican Bishops and ecumenical partners, commended: "dialogue with people of other faiths as part of Christian discipleship and mission, with the understanding that dialogue depends upon mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual trust These dialogues are ongoing and have produced remarkable understanding between the Episcopal Church and other traditions, helping us grow in mutual respect and trust. We also work with a variety of interreligious organizations, promoting engagement and cooperation with different traditions in areas of common interest, such as peace and justice A. United Methodist An international Anglican-Methodist dialogue met in the 1990s and produced its final report, Sharing in the Apostolic Communion, in Anglicans and Methodist in Great Britain came very close to reunion and full merger in the early 1970s, but the proposal did not garner the majorities it needed. In 2002, the Methodist Church and the Church of England signed a Covenant, beginning a 10-year process of examining how the churches might grow together. 2

3 In the United States, the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church have been in dialogue. In 2006, the two churches entered a relationship of Interim Eucharistic Sharing through which churches grow together by sharing worship while continuing to study remaining issues. The theological dialogue group continues to meet, focusing on how the two churches might reach agreement on full communion, which would allow for interchangeability of ministries. The period from marked the initial stage of the dialogue, and has focused on two goals. The first was an examination of one another s polities, ecclesiologies, and shared history After four years of dialogue, and with nearly forty years of discussion in the Consultation on Church Union, The United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church feel that they can endorse without hesitation that both churches have maintained the apostolic faith and are members of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Having reached agreement in matters of essential doctrine, the second round of dialogue between The United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church, commencing in 2006, focuses on the remaining matter upon which the two churches have been unable to reach complete agreement: that of the historic episcopate, a fully interchangeable ordained ministry, and commonly agreed upon Eucharistic elements. B. Presbyterian Church USA The Presbyterian Church, USA and The Episcopal Church have been in dialogue as members of Churches Uniting in Christ (and before that, the Consultation on Church Union) since A bilateral theological dialogue met from and produced an Agreement between the two churches. This 2008 Agreement is not full communion or interchangeability of ministers, but does commit the two churches to work together in mission and ministry where possible. 1. We acknowledge one another s churches as churches belonging to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church; 2. We acknowledge that in our churches the Word of God is authentically preached and the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist are duly administered; 3. We acknowledge one another s ordained ministries as given by God and instruments of grace, and look forward to the time when the reconciliation of our churches makes possible the full interchangeability of ministers; 4. We acknowledge that personal and collegial oversight (episcope) is embodied and exercised in our churches in a variety of forms, episcopal and non-episcopal, as a visible sign of the Church s unity and continuity in apostolic life, mission and ministry. 5. We agree that authorized ministers of our churches may, subject to the regulations of the churches and within the limits of their competence, carry out the tasks of their own office in congregations of the other churches when requested and approved by the diocesan bishop and local presbytery; 6. We agree that The Episcopal Church will invite members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to receive Holy Communion in their churches and the Presbyterian Church (USA) will invite members of The Episcopal Church to receive Holy Communion in their churches. We encourage the members of our churches to accept this Eucharistic hospitality and thus express their unity with each other in the one Body of Christ; 7. We agree to continue to dialogue in the areas such as diaconal ministries, historic episcopate, the office of elder, etc. that would lead to full reconciliation of our ministries and interchangeability of our ministers. 8. We encourage diocesan bishops and presbyteries to provide regular occasion for planning, discussing, resourcing for missional, educational and liturgical life together. In addition, to explore possibilities for new church development and redevelopment together. 9. We agree to develop a process to support and implement the above recommendations2 10. We affirm these proposals mark an important step in moving toward the full, visible unity of the Church. We know that beyond this commitment lies a move from the recognition 3

4 to the reconciliation of churches and ministries within the wider fellowship of the universal Church. C. Orthodox Churches The Orthodox Church is the oldest official dialogue partner of the Episcopal Church, with contacts dating back to The Episcopal Church is involved in dialogues with the Orthodox Churches mainly on the International Anglican-Orthodox dialogue, established in the 1960s, which operates through the Anglican Communion Office. D. Roman Catholic Church In the United States, the Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue (ARC-USA) has been meeting regularly since the 1960s. There have been three rounds of dialogue at the international level, the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Consultation (ARCIC). The Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue in the USA began in 1965 and since that time has issued 15 agreed statements on various topics In 2011, leaders of four churches of the Reformed tradition (The United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.), the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ) and Cardinal Francis George on behalf of the United States Catholic Bishops signed the significant Common Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Baptism. The agreement requires that flowing water and the Trinitarian formula be used for baptisms to be valid. In January 2013, leaders from these five denominations stood before the entire body of Christian Churches Together (CCT), with its more than 35 member churches, to publicly celebrate the agreement during an ecumenical prayer service E. Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) Churches Uniting In Christ (CUIC) represents a commitment to living in unity in Christ and common mission by the following denominations: African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church. Churches Uniting in Christ has taken combating racism as its primary mission and focus. 3. Special organization- LARCUM involving 4 groups (Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Methodist) The Virginia LARCUM Covenant document was first signed by the Lutheran, Anglican and Catholic bishops in 1990 and expanded by the signing of the United Methodist bishops in In the spirit of the ecumenical movement and the Second Vatican Council a. Based on scripture Jn 17: I ask 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, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become 4

5 completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Psalm How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God's people to live together in harmony. Ephesians 4:4-6 - There is but one Body and one Spirit,...just as there is one Lord, onefaith, one baptism; One God and Father of all, who is over all, and works through all and is in all Pope Paul s challenge - Only by such collaboration and prayer can the memory of past enmities be healed and ourpast antagonisms overcome. b. Four decades of dialogues have led our four traditions to establish full communion as our mutual goal c. Call to Covenant 1. pray for each other, particularly at die principal Sunday celebration 2. sponsor seasonal prayer services, especially during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; 3. encourage shared lectionary studies; 4. promote pulpit exchanges in accord with the respective guidelines of each tradition; 5. encourage, cooperation among member churches in providing pre-marital preparation for ecumenical marriages 6. encourage shared religious formational and educational events, e.g. youth ministry, vacation Bible school, living room dialogue; 7. develop joint efforts in evangelism and social justice 8. develop covenants among our congregations, institutions and chaplaincies', 9. support statewide, regional and local LARCUM Conferences, and establish annually a joint meeting of our ecumenical bodies; 10. encourage each diocese and synod to develop supportive prayer services and covenanting models for its congregations through their respective liturgical committees; 11. urge congregations to study the existing dialogues among our churches 12. develop covenants among school and academies for shared programs 13. ask congregations to develop and reflect on their cooperative ministries to discover areas of convergence among our four churches; 14. sponsor shared retreats and formational events for clergy and parish leadership; 15. develop campus ministry covenants among Catholic Campus Ministry, Canterbury Association, Lutheran Student Union, and Wesley Foundation, and support covenants at existing ecumenical ministries and college chaplains; 16. seek ways to coordinate program and planning at the district/ synodical/ diocesan / conference level; 17. collaborate at the judicatory level on justice issues and social concerns; 18. review and evaluate this Covenant annually at a meeting of the state LARCUM Committee representatives with Bishop s; 19. establish goals annually which advance this Covenant 20. celebrate the renewal of this Covenant annually at the statewide LARCUM conference 4. Supporting each other in common events (Vacation Bible School, combined services, working on mission projects, social justice, classes, sharing resources) 5. Diocese of Virginia - Committee on Ecumenical & Interfaith Relationships 5