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This innovative volume spans the early modern period and ranges across literary genres, confessional divides and European borders. It brings together twenty-three scholars from thirteen different countries to explore the dynamic and profound ways in which polemical theology, its discourses and codes, interacted with non-theological literary genres in this era. Offering depth as well as breadth, the contributions chart a myriad of intersections between Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and Reformed polemics and a range of literary types composed in Latin and the vernacular across Europe. Individual essays discuss how genres such as history and poetry often represented a vehicle to promote and vali...
This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of Seventhday Adventist interchurch relations – a 20-million member body whose ecumenical stance has so far been underresearched. For the sake of interpreting denominational involvement and reservations in Adventism as well as beyond, the study develops a new academic approach to ecumenism based on Relational Models Theory, a comprehensive social science paradigm of interpreting human relationships. The resulting typology of ecumenical interactions and the historical case study of Adventism suggest that such a relational interpretation of ecumenical interaction sheds light on many of the unresolved issues in ecumenics – such as divergent concepts of unity, difficulties in recognition processes, and the permanence of denominationalism.
The work of uniting churches is slow, challenging, and multifaceted; and it changes in each generation and location. In this book, Josiah Baker studies the efforts of believers towards reconciliation as something significant for how we understand the church. He offers a theology for laborers, people for whom unity is not only an idea but a calling and sure hope. A Visible Unity is a study in systematic theology on the relation of ecumenical methodology to ecclesiological convergence, how acting together results in the churches being together. Ecumenical work informs ecclesiology because it involves the actions of Christians together in accordance with their shared views of the church. Whenev...
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) faced various iterations of modernization throughout its history. This conflicted encounter continues in the ROC’s current resistance against—what it perceives as—Western modernity including liberal and secular values. This study examines the historical development of the ROC’s arguments against—and sometimes preferences for—modernization and analyzes which positions ended up influencing the official doctrine. The book’s systematic analysis of dogmatic treatises shows the ROC’s considerable ability of constructive engagement with various aspects of the modern world. Balancing between theological traditions of unity and plurality, the ROC’s today context of operating within an authoritarian state appears to tip the scale in favor of unity.
This book examines how the practice of episcopacy in the Church of England and the EKD affects the claim that the 'historic episcopate' is a necessary condition for 'the full interchangeability of ministers'. It addresses four questions relating to the practice of oversight: How have different forms of oversight sought to maintain the apostolic 'historic' faith in history and today? How does the exercise of authority within contemporary societies relate to the pre-modern ideas expressed in the idea of historic episcopate? How has the practice of oversight changed in the light of demographic changes and declining levels of church membership? What are the implications of synodical government and shared oversight for the concept of 'historic episcopate'? The book's goal is to explore whether an interdisciplinary analysis of episcopacy can assist the churches in establishing a new understanding of the "historic episcopate". With papers by Mark Chapman, Jonathan Gibbs, Matthias Grebe, Miriam Haar, Alex Hughes, Frances Knight, Morwenna Ludlow, Ralf Meister, Friederike Nüssel, Bernd Oberdorfer and Peter Scherle.
In the first volume of Essays in Ecumenical Theology Ivana Noble depicts differences between what she calls a sectarian outlook and one which engages in the search for common roots, dialogical relationships and shared mission in a world that has largely become post-Christian, but often also post-secular. Drawing on both Western and Orthodox scholarship, and expressing her own positions, Noble sketches what ecumenical theology is, how it is linked to spirituality, the methods it uses, how it developed during the twentieth century, and the challenges it faces. Specific studies deal with controversial interpretations of Jan Hus, Catholic Modernism, the problematic heritage of the totalitarian regimes, and responses to the current humanitarian crisis.
Warum feiern die verschiedenen christlichen Kirchen das Abendmahl immer noch getrennt? In der Auseinandersetzung um diese Grundfrage des ökumenischen Dialogs spielen immer wieder zwei Begriffe eine wichtige Rolle: (gegenseitige) Anerkennung und Rezeption (Aufnahme/Annahme). Es geht letztlich um die Anerkennung der jeweils anderen Kirchen als Ausdruck oder Form der einen Kirche Jesu Christi. Diese ist aber nur möglich, wenn alle beteiligten Seiten sich in einem Rezeptionsprozess die gemeinsam formulierten Einsichten zu eigen machen. Der Band dokumentiert die Vorträge der 19. Wissenschaftlichen Konsultation der Societas Oecumenica (Europäische Gesellschaft für ökumenische Forschung), die...
This volume concentrates on the 'conceptual boundary' through Europe which is determined by Western and Eastern Christianity. The chapters show that the boundary has never been a stable and defined division, but that it was also subject to change and development and a place of encounter and exchange between religions and cultures.
Remembering the dead is a topic which connects various cultures and traditions. The reception of the African tradition of ancestorship is a theological enrichment in the ecumenical discussions all over the world. In our time, the exchange of gifts plays a great role in promoting unity of the Churches. Especially the concepts of African theology with the incomparable special position of Jesus Christ as "proto ancestor" are important for the interconfessional dialogues. The veneration of the ancestors in Africa can be a help to begin ecumenical discussions in this regional context on the question of the veneration of the saints. According to African tradition the ancestors also have influence on the process of purification. Therefore, the veneration of the ancestors contributes to providing answers to the ecumenical controversies about the understanding of the eschatological purification. Sentus Francis Dikwe SDS, born in 1980 in Morogoro, Tanzania, ordained priest of the Salvatorian Congregation. He attained doctorate in theology 2020 in Munster, Germany.
Das Attribut "katholisch" wird in vielen Kontexten als Konfessionsbezeichnung einer bestimmten Kirche missverstanden. Die in diesem Band vorgelegten Vorträge der 18. Wissenschaftlichen Konsultation der Societas Oecumenica beleuchten die ökumenische Bedeutung der "Katholizität" die alle Kirchen im Glaubenbekenntnis bekennen. Dabei werden auch die Spannungen zwischen Einheit und Viefalt sowie die Herausforderungen durch neuere Entwicklungen in der weltweiten Christenheit in den Blick genommen. In many contexts the attribute "catholic" is misunderstood as a confessional term describing one specific church. The papers of the 18th Academic Consultation of Societas Oecumenica presented in this book give insights to the ecumenical significance of the "catholicity", which all churches confess in the Creed. They also take into consideration the tensions between unity and diversity as well as the challenges by new developments in worldwide Christianity.