A Renewed Ecumenism
Some say official 'Ecumenism' is dead. A more truer characterization is that it is stuck at the level of goodwill and polite gestures of acknowledgment. For the reality of 'denominationalism' seems here to stay. Even as it has become apparent that these mainline churches are shrinking in large part to the point of being in crisis, especially also as regards the polemic of the liberal/conservative divide, and how the church does not relate well to the broader society as a lived/lifestyle relevant counter-community witness, and as a reflection of a dominant secular materialism that denys the supernatural reality within many of the churches themselves--these are huge barriers to working together in reflecting the basics of an orthodox/orthopraxis Christianity. The fundamental question--as always--is 'are we faithful to the Gospel of Jesus the Christ'?
The paradigm is there itself in the Scriptures as, 'be in the world but not of it' (John 17:16). And Jesus admonition that He is not of this world. We have used traditional terms like 'holiness' or 'sacred' realities which try to capture a sense of going beyond this world (not necessarily denying it), or better yet as realizing we are spirit first and fundamentally learning to become truly or fully human because of it. As St Irenaeus so well put it in the second century of the Church, 'the glory of God is a human being fully alive, but that glory is manifested in beholding the vision of God.' It seems the kind of divine paradox we have hard time getting a handle on.
I believe, as often is true on the psychological plane for most of us, that it is only when we are in crisis, or hurting or wounded, or stripped of all--that we are open enough to begin to get it--of who we are and are called to become as our response in reaching out--which is to move at the same time, beyond ourself! Truly again, this seems a divine contradiction. Yet from God's perspective, maybe that is what makes some sense of it--we see when Jesus responds to his disciples in their human puzzlement and amazement that 'all things are possible with God' (Matthew 19:26).
So when we come to true ecumenism, as the embodiment of some form of total unity of his church 'as a visible sign' to this needy world (John 17:20-23) it would be no different, that only when we are in a true world crisis, will those who are sincere Christians come together. But there is also the danger that it will be too late for many within the institutional churches as well (witness the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13). The point is there must be a true sign or witness to the world, and we must be ready as essential believers and that it will probably be a true crisis on a global scale that will precipitate a radical response. It is the central paradigm of the 'cross' experience that convicts us, a death, a tortured body who suffered for the cause of justice as divine love offered and poured out. It seems a deep mystery of the hidden face of the coming Kingdom of God that maybe we need to confront before real and total ecumenism will wake up.
True ecumenism today is to confront a 'Bonhoeffer moment' when we must chose as the gathering darkness in our world increases, and it is especially evident when churches are dying because their hearts grow cold as they are too influenced by the wealth and comforts of this world (which is even harder to see in the by-product of democracy's normalcy of affluence brought about in Western culture because of its Christian roots or foundations ironically--even as the churches were all to often tainted by this worlds commensurate reality we call matter or flesh when it is seen as without or limiting the Spirit. It is nevertheless, the Transcendent realm we are called to return to after our experience on this planet of trying to learn the spiritual lessons of love and its accompanying justice for the poor and marginalized against those same dark forces that seek to exploit and destroy).
From the biblical and prophetic elements of society and history and recurring again and again in our great mythic stories, a time will come when those of true spirit will need to come together. Recall the Lord of the Rings, for example--when the different types of that Kingdom as elves and fairy's and dwarfs, ect.--like the different peoples and faiths of the world, or in this case the different expressions of Christianity (culturally, theologically, historically, denominationally) who claim to have the fullest expression of truth in the incarnational embodiment of the Cosmic Christ must now of necessity, learn to come together again to be strong enough to challenge the increasing strength of the dark cosmic forces that seem so predominant these days. It is only then that with all the charism spiritual gifts we bring together as Christians from different historical persuasions that we will not be defeated. Otherwise, if we remain divided we will remain weaker and be overcome within and without.
And not only this, but does it not make sense as well, that we gather at times such as this-- in the strongest and biggest fort, spiritually speaking--those traditions of an ancient church with its size, and history, and wealth of spiritualities and experience going back to our humble beginnings in Palestine, and of who it is said the 'gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:17-19), which empirically is the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches (which must fully unite themselves too). The miracle is not that these churches in history (striving to incarnate the Gospel in the Spirit) are perfect, but that they survived even as evil has entered within seeking to destroy the foundational rock of embodied faith community. Yet these Christian spiritual traditions are still around 2000 years latter and are still truly influential in the world especially when leadership at times is reflected in persons of true sanctity as we see presently with someone like Pope Francis who really seeks to live the authentic Gospel (as opposed to some very troubling powerful and denigrative leadership figures in the news today).
The extraordinary times we live in, as many wise spiritual mystics discern, are calling out for this radical response which is not less-- than a compassionate martyred lifestyle of selfless spiritual conviction--like those first Apostles and disciples of Jesus followed themselves or were exiled and marginalized because of it, as was St John on an island called Patmos. When the Body of Christ and his followers learn to be willing to die too-- on a cross--however conceived or experienced for the sake of living out this true divine love--then we will be ready for a true ecumenism, as a transfiguring force and reality (as gold is tried in the furnace in Ecclesiasticus 2:5) and are made acceptable in the Lords Presence, which we will all encounter one day--to our shame or joy.
These are the times I discern that we live in-- along with other sincere Christians and people of genuine spiritual faith--and although the stakes are high, the opportunity is great!
The paradigm is there itself in the Scriptures as, 'be in the world but not of it' (John 17:16). And Jesus admonition that He is not of this world. We have used traditional terms like 'holiness' or 'sacred' realities which try to capture a sense of going beyond this world (not necessarily denying it), or better yet as realizing we are spirit first and fundamentally learning to become truly or fully human because of it. As St Irenaeus so well put it in the second century of the Church, 'the glory of God is a human being fully alive, but that glory is manifested in beholding the vision of God.' It seems the kind of divine paradox we have hard time getting a handle on.
I believe, as often is true on the psychological plane for most of us, that it is only when we are in crisis, or hurting or wounded, or stripped of all--that we are open enough to begin to get it--of who we are and are called to become as our response in reaching out--which is to move at the same time, beyond ourself! Truly again, this seems a divine contradiction. Yet from God's perspective, maybe that is what makes some sense of it--we see when Jesus responds to his disciples in their human puzzlement and amazement that 'all things are possible with God' (Matthew 19:26).
So when we come to true ecumenism, as the embodiment of some form of total unity of his church 'as a visible sign' to this needy world (John 17:20-23) it would be no different, that only when we are in a true world crisis, will those who are sincere Christians come together. But there is also the danger that it will be too late for many within the institutional churches as well (witness the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13). The point is there must be a true sign or witness to the world, and we must be ready as essential believers and that it will probably be a true crisis on a global scale that will precipitate a radical response. It is the central paradigm of the 'cross' experience that convicts us, a death, a tortured body who suffered for the cause of justice as divine love offered and poured out. It seems a deep mystery of the hidden face of the coming Kingdom of God that maybe we need to confront before real and total ecumenism will wake up.
True ecumenism today is to confront a 'Bonhoeffer moment' when we must chose as the gathering darkness in our world increases, and it is especially evident when churches are dying because their hearts grow cold as they are too influenced by the wealth and comforts of this world (which is even harder to see in the by-product of democracy's normalcy of affluence brought about in Western culture because of its Christian roots or foundations ironically--even as the churches were all to often tainted by this worlds commensurate reality we call matter or flesh when it is seen as without or limiting the Spirit. It is nevertheless, the Transcendent realm we are called to return to after our experience on this planet of trying to learn the spiritual lessons of love and its accompanying justice for the poor and marginalized against those same dark forces that seek to exploit and destroy).
From the biblical and prophetic elements of society and history and recurring again and again in our great mythic stories, a time will come when those of true spirit will need to come together. Recall the Lord of the Rings, for example--when the different types of that Kingdom as elves and fairy's and dwarfs, ect.--like the different peoples and faiths of the world, or in this case the different expressions of Christianity (culturally, theologically, historically, denominationally) who claim to have the fullest expression of truth in the incarnational embodiment of the Cosmic Christ must now of necessity, learn to come together again to be strong enough to challenge the increasing strength of the dark cosmic forces that seem so predominant these days. It is only then that with all the charism spiritual gifts we bring together as Christians from different historical persuasions that we will not be defeated. Otherwise, if we remain divided we will remain weaker and be overcome within and without.
And not only this, but does it not make sense as well, that we gather at times such as this-- in the strongest and biggest fort, spiritually speaking--those traditions of an ancient church with its size, and history, and wealth of spiritualities and experience going back to our humble beginnings in Palestine, and of who it is said the 'gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:17-19), which empirically is the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches (which must fully unite themselves too). The miracle is not that these churches in history (striving to incarnate the Gospel in the Spirit) are perfect, but that they survived even as evil has entered within seeking to destroy the foundational rock of embodied faith community. Yet these Christian spiritual traditions are still around 2000 years latter and are still truly influential in the world especially when leadership at times is reflected in persons of true sanctity as we see presently with someone like Pope Francis who really seeks to live the authentic Gospel (as opposed to some very troubling powerful and denigrative leadership figures in the news today).
The extraordinary times we live in, as many wise spiritual mystics discern, are calling out for this radical response which is not less-- than a compassionate martyred lifestyle of selfless spiritual conviction--like those first Apostles and disciples of Jesus followed themselves or were exiled and marginalized because of it, as was St John on an island called Patmos. When the Body of Christ and his followers learn to be willing to die too-- on a cross--however conceived or experienced for the sake of living out this true divine love--then we will be ready for a true ecumenism, as a transfiguring force and reality (as gold is tried in the furnace in Ecclesiasticus 2:5) and are made acceptable in the Lords Presence, which we will all encounter one day--to our shame or joy.
These are the times I discern that we live in-- along with other sincere Christians and people of genuine spiritual faith--and although the stakes are high, the opportunity is great!