Has There Ever Been Ecumenism


Seldom in religion does one read the brutal truth. This link explains the concept of ecumenism that was so much the rage 50 years ago but never really existed and never will be.

Today if you are part of the Christian, academic or denominational writing community you will likely never get to publish an article clearly refuting the claims of another denomination. If you write in one of the several Catholic outlets, for example, editors will not look with favor on an article that bashes Protestantism. The mantra is "our Protestant (Catholic) brothers" or friends. No matter the gravity of the error of others, any written material by Catholic apologists is to mention, "We all believe in Christ."

The link author, a Catholic, mourns the way ecumenism, the hammering out of strongly held beliefs to determine if there is or is not common ground, has been replaced with simply no ground, common or otherwise. He cites a 1920's conference in which Protestant and Catholic clergy spoke passionately condemning artificial birth control and divorce. Only ten years later Protestants began to slide on these issues. 

While Catholic clergy kept saying it had not slid one bit on either, Catholic laity began using birth control and now divorce at about the same rate as Protestants. This loss of Christian principles, according to the link author, falls at the feet of Protestant, not Catholic, clergy. He implies it would be healthy for the Catholic Church to stop pretending Protestants are their friends and point to the loss of Christian principles in these two issues as well as others. He calls ecumenism a wet blanket thrown on top of powerful disagreements between proper Christianity and less legitimate kinds.

The discussion pages of this blog include statements by Protestants and Catholics about each other that are most blunt and to the point than those that appear in the general internet and paper press. Here we have seen Protestants point out the weaknesses of what Catholics say about themselves. One is that the Catholic Church was the one church Jesus directed to carry out his message. That ecumenism can ever paper over this deep division is wishful thinking.

While majorities of  those in the pews of both Catholic and Protestant churches share roughly the same ideas about sexual practices, divorce and politics officials in both are as far apart as ever in their religious views. It seems like this will go on so long as there are Christians. 

Comments

  1. little helperMarch 30, 2021 at 7:14 PM

    "Ecumenism" is the art of wordsmithing to convince the opposing faction they agree with you. I give you the examples of Vatican II, syncretism, uninformed opinions, and the declaration of Justification by faith, dialogue VII 1985

    ReplyDelete
  2. little helperMarch 30, 2021 at 8:02 PM

    In addition, "ecumenical" is not as ecumenical as currently understood. For example, an ecumenical is... "not an ecumenical council unless called by the Pope". There have been several so called ecumenical councils, but the results only approved by the Pope and the Magisterium. Not so ecumenical in fact. The World Council of Churches is said to be ecumenical, but in reality , not ecumenical in the true sense of the word, as many denominations do not subscribe to or agree with it.
    It is a feel good word.

    ReplyDelete

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