Re-discerning the Body: Ecumenism in an Apocalyptic Age

What the modern ecumenical goal of "full, visible unity" means has been redefined over time. Some early ecumenists believed that reconciliation between church officials would lead to a single unified church structure. Later, ecumenists proposed that diversity in unity might look like networks or communions of churches. Today, we cannot ignore the real divisions that exist among Christians within our traditional ecclesiastical boundaries. This essay argues that the achievements of the magisterial ecumenical movement and the lessons of receptive ecumenism must be used to foster a new phase of ecumenical reconciliation that directly attends to the real wounds existing within and across communions, prioritizing the places where the church has failed to "discern the body" within its midst

PRECIS:

What the modern ecumenical goal of "full, visible unity" means has been redefined over time. Some early ecumenists believed that reconciliation between church officials would lead to a single unified church structure. Later, ecumenists proposed that diversity in unity might look like networks or communions of churches. Today, we cannot ignore the real divisions that exist among Christians within our traditional ecclesiastical boundaries. This essay argues that the achievements of the magisterial ecumenical movement and the lessons of receptive ecumenism must be used to foster a new phase of ecumenical reconciliation that directly attends to the real wounds existing within and across communions, prioritizing the places where the church has failed to "discern the body" within its midst.