THE RADICAL TRANSFORMATION OF
CHURCH HISTORY
I.
INTRODUCTION
It is a great honor and joy for me to make this presentation at the
beginning of a new semester and academic year. I begin my tenth semester at
Gettysburg, and the Seminary has, indeed, become a fifth station in my
career after Heidelberg/Germany, Strasbourg/France, Hannover/Germany, and
Geneva/Switzerland. My wife Ursula, who will come later and I are deeply
grateful for all the kindness, support, and friendship that is extended to
us by colleagues, staff, and students during this period of active
retirement.
I will talk about the probably most significant element of
contemporary history of Christianity that also has been the most prominent
part of my life and work as a theologian during the last forty years. The
thesis I would like to explicate
is that the ecumenical movement has radically transformed the history of the
Christian Church during the last 100 years. As inhabitants of the
twenty-first century let us pause for a moment, look back from a certain
distance to the ecumenical history of the twentieth century. In this way we
may again become aware of its driving motifs, breakthroughs and realized or
still unfulfilled hopes. We are part of that ecumenical history that in
explicit or indirect ways constitutes the context of our own ministry or
preparation for it. As Lutherans - or members of another confessional
tradition - we are formed by the living witness of the Christian faith by
our Lutheran forebears of the last 480 years. As Christians of the 21st
century we are formed and enriched also by the broader Christian tradition
into which we have been led by the ecumenical movement. Let us see how?
II.
THE VISION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION
We look back at a history of Christian division,
first to the great division between Western and Eastern Christianity
a thousand years ago, and then to the divisions within Western
Christianity in the context of the Reformation more than 450 years ago. Only
on the background of this history with its destructive consequences for the
history of peoples and the every-day life of human beings will we really be
able to discern the church historical and world historical significance of
the ecumenical new beginning of the 20th century. In this broad
historical perspective the ecumenical movement appears as the unprecedented
and radical reversal of a centuries-long history of un-Christian division
and as a return to the obedience to Christ’s gift and prayer that all
should be one as there is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one body
and one baptism, one calling to discipleship in a broken world.
This re-discovery and acknowledgment of God’s will for unity was
also provoked by the world-historical situation in the transitional period
from the 19th to the 20th century. Through new means
of communication and economic as well as military mobility the world had
become smaller, deeply threatened by new social problems, the First World
War, and the emergence of the totalitarian systems of Communism and Fascism.
How could a divided Christianity play a constructive role in such a
situation? As a response, there emerged the ecumenical vision of Christian
unity for common witness to the Gospel and joint service to humankind.
However, visions like this require personalities who formulate them and
clothe them into historical forms. Such a person, an ecumenical pioneer was
Methodist layman John Mott who inspired the world-wide YMCA and became the soul
and moderator of the First World Missionary Conference in 1910 at
Edinburgh/Scotland. It was the first great ecumenical Christian assembly in
history, though still limited to Protestants and a few Orthodox. It is
considered as the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement.
The ecumenical and missionary vision of John Mott was complemented by
a more theologically oriented vision of Episcopal bishop Charles Brent who was instrumental in calling the churches to
efforts towards overcoming their divisive doctrinal differences. In 1927
Brent was finally able to preside over the First World Conference on Faith
and Order at Lausanne/Switzerland. A third ecumenical pioneer, Swedish
Lutheran Archbishop Nathan Söderblom, called the churches to begin with a joint
reflection and action on social and political issues, and consequently
presided over the First World Conference on Life and Work in 1925 at
Stockholm/Sweden. (In 1920 the (Orthodox) Ecumenical
Patriarchate proposed the formation of a community of churches (koinonia
ton ekklesion) - anticipating the creation of the World Council of Churches
nearly thirty years later.) Finally, we should not forget among these
ecumenical visionaries and “shapers” Pope
John XXIII who, through his convocation of the Second Vatican Council in
1959, led the Roman Catholic Church from its strict rejection of ecumenical
participation to an active, history-changing ecumenical involvement of the
largest ecclesial community within Christendom. These extraordinary
ecumenists, and with them many committed women and men in the churches, set
out on a way into new times that was marked by confidence in the guidance of
the Triune God. The ecumenical history that followed has confirmed that
their visions were grounded in the loyalty to the history of God’s action
in biblical past and in the discernment of His will today.
Visions not only need to be articulated by outstanding individuals.
They also have to be translated into historical reality by groups of people
and institutional instruments. That is why John Mott in 1923 gave the
movement for missionary cooperation the form of the International
Missionary Council. Charles Brent’s concern for theological dialogue
as means to overcome doctrinal division led to the movement on Faith
and Order. Nathan Söderblom’s initiatives towards common Christian
engagement with the social and political problems of world-society found its
institutional expression in the movement on Life
and Work. These movements emerged in the 1920s and two of them, Faith
and Order and Life and Work united in 1948 to form the World Council of
Churches (WCC) at Amsterdam/Holland, into which the third movement, the IMC
was integrated in 1961. Thus, by the middle of last century the WCC had
become the “privileged instrument” of the ecumenical movement both
internationally and locally.
However, the ecumenical movement as represented by the WCC was soon
far extended in its scope as well as significance by the participation of
the Roman Catholic Church in the movement, though not in the WCC. Roman
Catholic ecumenical engagement found its main expression in theological
bilateral dialogues with other worldwide Christian communions such as the
LWF and their member churches. This new step was enabled by the remarkable
change in the Catholic judgment on other Christian churches from rejection
as sects to recognition as churches or, in a more limited way, as ecclesial
communities. At the same time, during the late 1960s another significant
player entered the ecumenical scene - the confessional families or, as we
call them today: the Christian World Communions such as the World Methodist
Council, the groups of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, the LWF, and
others. Originally suspected by Protestant ecumenists as confessional
stumbling blocks to ecumenical advance, the CWCs have since 1970 become
major ecumenical forces through their bilateral dialogues and the
furtherance of ecumenical attitudes in their member churches.
This emergence of the vision of Christian unity and cooperation in
faith, witness, and service happened within a relatively short period in
Christian and world history. Only a short while ago we celebrated 50 years
of the existence of the WCC, and only less than 40 years ago the Roman
Catholic Church entered the ecumenical movement. These are relatively short
periods within the long stretches of church history. On the dark background
of centuries of division and strife the 100 years of the ecumenical
movement, the 55 years of the WCC and the 38 years of Catholic participation
stand out as an unprecedented counter-movement to preceding history. The
time and world-historical conditions obviously were ripe for this new stage
in history that could be seen in Hegel’s dialectics as the emerging
synthesis over against the thesis of God’s gift of Christian unity and the
antithesis of Christian divisions in contradiction to the initial thesis.
The emerging ecumenical synthesis is characterized by transcending past
divisions and by transforming differences into legitimate diversity.
Let us look more specifically at some of the changes and achievements
that are cause and part of a radical transformation of church history from
division and enmity to understanding, sharing, cooperation, and unity.
III.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT
1. Changes in perception.
Within the multifaceted process of the ecumenical movement, many churches
that in the past have struggled against each other or ignored one another,
have turned away from the old ways. Encounters and studies have led to
better mutual understanding, and prejudices and misrepresentations no longer
dominate. Churches began to see one another as communities that are seeking
to proclaim the Gospel and to follow God’s will. They discovered large
areas of faith where there exists already agreement, despite different forms
of theological expression and methodology. They recognized one another as
partners on the way towards the common witness to the Trinitarian God and
towards their joint engagement in situations where people have no freedom,
no bread, no rights, no future. In these processes changes have occurred in
the ways in which churches and Christian people see each other - they have
discovered Christian brothers and sisters outside their own communities.
These changes of perception are part of the exodus out of the captivity of
un-Christian division, an exodus that continues to be our task.
2. Changes of perspective. The
ecumenical movement has enabled the participating churches together with the
change of perception to broaden their limited ecclesial perspectives.
Despite their confession of the universal/catholic church, most of them did
not have a concrete awareness and experience of the worldwide church. The
wealth of encounters, church partnerships, visits, studies abroad, as well
as new ecclesiological viewpoints have opened up the wide open and
fascinating panorama of “the whole Christian church on earth” (Martin
Luther, Small Catechism). This new universal perspective is also furthered
by intercession for other churches, the support of those of them that are in
difficult situations, and by the exchange of spiritual gifts that each one
has to offer to all. There is now in many places a sharing of theological
and spiritual insights and of Christian discipleship beyond one’s own
ecclesial boundaries. This new reality of adhering to one’s own church
with - hopefully – a clear confessional identity and at the same time
being part of the greater worldwide Christian community is an enormous
mutual enrichment and encouragement. New perspectives have been opened up -
if we open the windows.
3. Changes through spiritual
ecumenism. Common prayer and worship have been an essential ingredient
of the ecumenical movement since its beginnings. When Christians have joined
in intercession, bible study, confession of sins and of faith, proclamation,
and celebration, they often have been inspired by the liturgical and
spiritual traditions and forms of piety of other churches. Protestants, for
example, have been touched by Orthodox spirituality, Roman Catholic forms of
monastic life, Asian forms of meditation, Latin American integration of
worship and social struggle, African explosions of joy in worship, impulses
coming from the Taizé community - to mention a few examples. Our great
tradition of Lutheran hymnody and church music is embraced by other
traditions – sometimes more seriously there than in certain Lutheran
circles with their sentimental and banal musical tastes. All this has
tangible renewing effects on the spiritual and worshipping life of churches
and congregations.
4. Changes through ecumenical
social-ethical reflection and action. Another central motive of the
ecumenical movement has been from the beginning the reflection and action on
social and moral issues. As a result, common ethical orientations have been
developed concerning the inherent dignity of all human beings as God’s
creatures, the overcoming, in Christ, of dividing barriers between races and
ethnic groups, the equal place and responsibility of women in church and
society, the rights of indigenous peoples, the inherent connection between
justice and peace, the care for and just distribution of natural resources,
the church as a moral community. These orientations and concepts have
contributed to changes of consciences in the churches as well as to
innumerable aid and development programs, peace negotiations and other
activities of the churches and their ecumenical and confessional
organizations in all parts of the world. Such concepts and commitments have
strengthened ecumenical fellowship and have interconnected the Christian
oikoumene and the whole inhabited earth.
5. Changes of theological
thinking. The studies and encounters made possible by the ecumenical
movement have helped to change, enrich, and broaden the theological thinking
in the churches. The transfer of theological insights and forms of thinking
from one confession to others, from one intellectual-cultural context to
other contexts cannot be measured, but is clearly a reality. For example,
theologians and lay-people in a particular Reformation church may be
attracted by the comprehensive theological vision of the Orthodox tradition,
while another group in that same church seeks to understand and appreciate
ideas of Latin American liberation theologies, and finally a third group is
endeavoring to integrate Roman Catholic sacramental thinking into their own
theological understandings. Thus, limited theological horizons have been
expanded and opened up for the richness of the wider Christian tradition - a
tradition, that does not only consist of the heritage of Christian theology
trough the centuries since the time of the apostles but that is also shaped
today by the new reality of Christian reflection in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America.
In addition, ecumenical studies and dialogues have led to the
restatement and modification of doctrinal concepts of the different
churches. This has opened the way of overcoming former dividing doctrinal
differences or of restating them in ways that make them acceptable as
differences that are no longer preventing closer fellowship. Such
doctrinally relevant steps ahead have been achieved in the second part of
the 20th century - again, still a fairly recent process. Here we
may mention (a) the resolving of the old Catholic Protestant split over the
relationship between Holy Scripture and tradition by clarifying the intimate
connection between the authority of Scripture
and its handing on and interpretation through the process of
tradition; (b) the affirmation of the interrelation between theological
reflection on presuppositions and forms of Christian unity and the
reflection on joint Christian engagement for the renewal of human society;
(c) the rediscovery and elaboration of agreements on the fundamental
teachings of the Trinitarian faith; (d) the convergence between different
Christian traditions concerning the nature and mission of the Church in
terms of a communion in faith, sacramental life, witness, and service; (e)
the remarkable agreement on the sacraments of baptism and the eucharist and
important clarifications towards a common understanding of the ordained
ministry - expressed in the most widely observed and discussed document in
the history of the ecumenical movement: Baptism,
Eucharist, and Ministry (1982); (f) and finally the working out of a
widely accepted concept of Christian unity that moves beyond the older
prevailing concept of a union, a merger of churches as the final goal. Unity
is now conceived as full communion of churches that are able to share in the
confession of the apostolic faith, have entered a common sacramental life
based on recognition of baptism and celebrated in eucharistic fellowship,
recognize each others ministries, and are engaged in a common mission to all
people with the Gospel of God’s grace.
These and other theological results were prepared by the multilateral
work of the Commission on Faith and Order of the WCC and were further
developed in the over 35 international dialogue groups between Christian
World Communions and also by continental and national dialogues. The test of
the church historical relevance of these results comes with their reception,
their acceptance in the thinking of churches and Christians as well as in
their translation into new historical-institutional relationships. I have
mentioned the non-formalized but important reception of ecumenical
achievements in new relationships between churches and in the thinking and
perspectives of people. Formalized acts of reception have come in recent
decades with the declaration of church fellowship between nearly 100
Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches in Europe (Leuenberg 1973); the
declaration of full communion between the Anglican and most Lutheran
churches in Northern Europe (Porvoo 1992); and similar Lutheran-Reformed,
Anglican-Lutheran, and Lutheran-Moravian agreements here in the United
States and in Canada. A first step of official reception of ecumenical
advance in dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church has been the
Lutheran-Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (1999). It is
obvious that in these instances of official reception, Lutheran churches
have played a major role - a sign, that their conviction that there is no
contradiction between continuing confessional identity and forms of unity
with other churches bears fruit.
IV.
CONCLUSION
I have drawn a positive picture of the ecumenical movement and the
deep-going changes it has effected on the history of Christianity of the
last 100 years. It is, of course, a glass half full. There are churches and
groups on the right, sectarian, and often heretical fringe of world
Christianity that refuse to be part of the ecumenical movement. The struggle
to draw them out of their isolation and rejection remains an important task,
as does the further deepening and expansion of the new relationships between
the ecumenical churches. But in a perspective that looks beyond the present
moment and one’s own church tower, as we say in German, we can say that
the visionary statement of the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury and great
theologian, William Temple, has become true when already in 1942 he spoke of
the ecumenical movement as “the great new fact of our time”. Indeed,
this movement has radically changed church history by leading the majority
of world Christianity from division to mutual understanding and respect, to
fellowship and solidarity, to forms of unity in common praise of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the source of joint service to all people.
It is my experience during the last nine years in this place that also in
the work and life of this Seminary we receive glimpses of this new reality
within Christianity and are formed in its spirit. May God and His servants
in this Seminary keep us in this movement that helps us to look and think
beyond our limited horizons.
