Ecumenism: "Why Can't We Be Friends?"

[Fidei Defensor]

This thread's aim is towards this kind of Ecumenism:

"Ecumenism refers to efforts by Christians of different church traditions to develop closer relationships and better understandings."

The Ecumenism I envision is what I have seen in Jerusalem. Pilgrims of all denominations come together to pray, worship, and read Scripture together. They do not cease being Evangelical, Baptist, Charismatic, and etc, but rather become One Body despite this. I’ve seen it in the flesh. The Head is Jesus Christ, and everyone comes together from different church backgrounds. It is how it is in Jerusalem. At hotels, in the streets and more. You meet brothers and sisters in Christ & no one cares about their denominational differences. It is amazing vision of the future Kingdom of Christ (Revelation 20:1-8).  

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The debates are fierce between denominatuons. We each have our unique views, but Jesus wanted us to be One, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved themeven as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23). Christ's prayer was not for Apostles alone, but all who believe in their message (John 17:19-21). I have started this thread for commonality, unity, and to delight in our differences, to share them without fear of malice, judgement, and severity.

This is a safe space for all Trinitarian denominations. If you are non-Trinitarian you may share, but please lets not turn this thread into a debate center, instead here we practice civility, examples of eticate "Interesting perpective, I respectfully hold to a different view," or "Since you have shared that view, I have this question about that doctrine," instead of "your wrong! See the light." 

Here the goal is to be loving and share views without the heated rhetoric of debate threads (if you want robust and loud debate go elsewhere please).

Here we celebrate our simarities and show respect for differences (liturgy or no liturgy, hymns vs worship songs, communion differences) and even desire to inderstand them and celebrate them, rather than fight over Eucharist views, we share them without judgement and enjoy the conversation over the different views.   

Addendum:

To clarify the goal of this thread I want to share the many types of Ecumenism and which specific version is what this thread is about:

"Ecumenism refers to efforts by Christians of different church traditions to develop closer relationships and better understandings.

The term is also often used to refer to efforts towards the visible and organic unity of different Christian churches in some form.

The terms ecumenism and ecumenical come from the Greek οἰκουμένη (oikoumene), which means "the whole inhabited world", and was historically used with specific reference to the Roman Empire.^[2] The ecumenical vision comprises both the search for the visible unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:3) and the "whole inhabited earth" (Matthew 24:14) as the concern of all Christians.

In Christianity the qualification ecumenical is originally (and still) used in terms such as "ecumenical council" and "Ecumenical Patriarch" in the meaning of pertaining to the totality of the larger Church (such as the Catholic Church or the Orthodox Church) rather than being restricted to one of its constituent local churches or dioceses. Used in this original sense, the term carries no connotation of re-uniting the historically separated Christian denominations, but presumes a unity of local congregations in a worldwide communion.

Historically, the word was originally used in the context of large ecumenical councils that were organized under the auspices of Roman Emperors to clarify matters of Christian theology and doctrine. These "Ecumenical Councils" brought together bishops from around the inhabited world (such as, οἰκουμένη) as they knew it at the time. There were a total of seven ecumenical councils accepted by both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism held before the Great Schism. Thus, the modern meaning of the world ecumenical and ecumenism derives from this pre-modern sense of Christian unity, and the impulse to recreate this unity again.

There are a variety of different expectations of what that Christian unity looks like, how it is brought about, what ecumenical methods ought to be engaged, and what both short- and long-term objectives of the ecumenical movement should be. Ecumenism and nondenominational or postdenominational movements are not necessarily the same thing. While some of these can be ecumenical in intent, normally nondenominationalism seeks no common organizing principle nor works toward the unity of Christians." (Wikipedia)

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Ecumenism as definition varies dramatically.

This thread's aim is towards this kind of Ecumenism:

"refers to efforts by Christians of different church traditions to develop closer relationships and better understandings."

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Fidei Defensor
adding a clarification of thread's purpose

[Fidei Defensor]

I am Trintarian, Solae Scriptura, and believe in the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 

This is a safe space for all denominations. Share your views, but do not pick fights. 

Thank you

[OneLight]

Humility is key.

[Fidei Defensor]

25 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Who is fighting? Just a reminder that in ecumenicalism there is no pure Gospel.

Ecumenism is about uniting the Body of Christ which. We do not pretend everyone will agree on every iota of doctrine and ideology. Its about creating dialogues, and respecting differences of opinion.

This is to be place for all Christians from their various denominations and churches. It is to be a place, a forum if you will for everyone to come and share. So please, I must respectfully ask you to refrain from calling Ecumenism not Gospel. It's goal is to get Christians of different denominations together, to share and listen. Its not the Apologetics thread.

[Fidei Defensor]

3 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Have fun with the Hegelian exercise in futility and compromise. Don't worry, I won't spoil the goulash. I won't participate.

Whose forming judgements now? I happen to be Trinitarian and well trained in the Bible. I want to extend a fellowship to my Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist, Baptist, Charismatic,  and other brothers who I may not agree with in everything, and I have many questions about their doctrines, but I want them to feel at home and like part of family, than to be treated as if they are the Star belly sneetches without stars.

Just because I used Ecumenism as the word for unity, doesn't mean I intend to run this in same way Ecumenism is practiced everywhere, it is word that represents an idea, unity.

[Fidei Defensor]

17 minutes ago, Yowm said:

'Star belly sneetches without stars'...nice, is that the only alternative? Or is there telling them the truth? 

Again I'm not participating, so, bye to this thread.

No one said you couldn't participate, but to call whole thread against the Gospel, after seeing how ardently I have defended the Gospel all over the forums? Alas, humans cannot see the heart, but God can. I feel assumptions have been jumped to over why I started this thread, it was to be place of peace, for everyone to share with respect, but you must at least see you've made the whole point of this thread. Calling my thread anthetical to Gospel is a rather swift judgement wouldn't you say? Maybe you've encountered bad ecumenism, well so have I. Hence why I said in first post Trinitarian Ecumenism, not interfaith as in all religions.

[Fidei Defensor]

Some history on word Ecumensim, it was every council the Church has had:

"Historically, the word was originally used in the context of large ecumenical councils that were organized under the auspices of Roman Emperors to clarify matters of Christian theology and doctrine. These "Ecumenical Councils" brought together bishops from around the inhabited world (such as, οἰκουμένη) as they knew it at the time. There were a total of seven ecumenical councils accepted by both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism held before the Great Schism. Thus, the modern meaning of the world ecumenical and ecumenism derives from this pre-modern sense of Christian unity, and the impulse to recreate this unity again.

There are a variety of different expectations of what that Christian unity looks like, how it is brought about, what ecumenical methods ought to be engaged, and what both short- and long-term objectives of the ecumenical movement should be. Ecumenism and nondenominational or pos tdenominational movements are not necessarily the same thing. While some of these can be ecumenical in intent, normally nondenominationalism seeks no common organizing principle nor works toward the unity of Christians." (Ecumenism, Wikipedia).

Among Ecumenical Councils was Council of Nicea, Council of Chalcedon, and Council of Constantinople.

[Guest Judas Machabeus]

Fedei you have a big and kind heart. You are able to listen and not tear down in order to build up. You lay out your argument and defend it. 

When I first came to this forum it was bad. There was no discussion, it was all about telling me how wrong I was. There was no exchange of ideas, just tearing down ideas that didn't conform. And I lacked the charity to respond in love and kindness.

This gets tiresome rather quick and this has been the longest stint that I've been active. I'm here for a month or so than leave for 6 months. What's different this time are members like yourself and gdemoss and a few others. You don't agree with Catholism or Easrern Orthodox but you lay down your arguments and defend them. You don't attack or tear down, you ask questions. You try to understand what and why the other person believes what they do. Doesn't mean you agree but that's what an exchange of ideas is. 

Ive had to learn that once a memeber starts using certain phrases or words that I'm done with the conversation. It's better to walk away than to get sucked in. 

Cheers and God Bless

[Churchmouse]

I'm like this. I read the Bible, i believe in God and Christ and I'm not interested in kumbaya moments with people who place emphasis on any other aspect of religion besides going through Jesus Christ to get to the father and belief in him as my personal savior. These specializations that I've heard that separates the different denominations are, to me simply self aggrandizing distractions that make the parishioners feel better about themselves and as such is something they will have to justify with Christ when they see him.

I don't feel the need to sample the flavor of the day or do a group hug with those who thing they are more right than I by jumping through their own hoops.

I do not start fights, but I also don't think everything is the equal, since if were, we could worship the flying spaghetti monster and still go to heaven. I don't believe that and I don't believe in man made hoops we have to go through to reach Christ. The Bible tells me what I need to know and the rest of everybody else can do what they think is necessary, because it is their soul, not mine.

Edited May 11, 2017 by Churchmouse

[Churchmouse]

1 hour ago, Fidei Defensor said:

Whose forming judgements now? I happen to be Trinitarian and well trained in the Bible. I want to extend a fellowship to my Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist, Baptist, Charismatic,  and other brothers who I may not agree with in everything, and I have many questions about their doctrines, but I want them to feel at home and like part of family, than to be treated as if they are the Star belly sneetches without stars.

Just because I used Ecumenism as the word for unity, doesn't mean I intend to run this in same way Ecumenism is practiced everywhere, it is word that represents an idea, unity.

I don't judge people who wish to be left alone, but I do judge those I wish to associate with as some of these go against what the Bible states and then justifies their actions by saying that the word of God is not enough.  I don't pray through Mary and I don't pray through the Saints because The Bible says what to do and neither of those are in the Bible. Having people in close proximity with others who believe in anything that is not scriptural based is to consciously allow the degrading of the word of God and I will not do that, because as a Christian, I am tasked to recount the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John not Larry, Moe,Curly and Shemp..