WCC NEWS: Inter-Orthodox consultation: Nature of the Church

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World Council of Churches - News

INTER-ORTHODOX CONSULTATION BEGINS DISCUSSION ON THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH

For immediate release: 04 March 2011

A week-long inter-Orthodox consultation with the aim of studying the
Faith and Order document “The Nature and Mission of the Church” began
its work on Thursday 3 March in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. The aim of the
consultation is to offer distinctly Orthodox insights as part of a
world-wide discussion of the doctrine of the Church, or
“ecclesiology”. The gathering is hosted by the Orthodox Church of
Cyprus.

Nearly forty participants from Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches,
church leaders, university professors, theologians, men and women as well
as youth, most of whom are members of the World Council of Churches (WCC)
Commission on Faith and Order (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=a4c5b262aa0e10c36e4a ), will discuss 
the document
and produce a common Orthodox response to this important theological text.

After a Te Deum celebrated by Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus in the
historic monastery of Ayia Napa, Metropolitan Prof. Dr Gennadios of
Sassima, co-moderator of the consultation, expressed gratitude to the
archbishop for his generous hospitality, extended regularly to
inter-Orthodox and ecumenical gatherings, and highlighted the
archbishop’s life-long struggle to overcome dividing lines, in his own
country and elsewhere in the world.

Unfortunately, Metropolitan Gennadios added, “walls of separation and
division still exist in the world and one of our priorities as Orthodox is
to continue our struggle for peace, reconciliation and friendship among
peoples and nations.”

Archbishop Chrysostomos underlined the importance of the theme. “Orthodox
theology is primarily ecclesiological,” he said. “Christianity cannot
be understood except as the church”.

By his incarnation, the archbishop continued, Christ made all human beings
part of his own body. Orthodox contributions to ecumenical theological
reflection consist in the fact that Orthodoxy, rather than defending a
“confessional” interpretation of ecclesiology, shares the existential
experience of the church.

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, the WCC general secretary, expressed appreciation
both to Archbishop Chrysostomos for his hospitality, which is a tangible
sign of his ecumenical commitment, and to Metropolitan Dr Vasilios of
Constantia-Ammochostos, moderator of the Faith and Order Commission, for
hosting the consultation in his diocese and for his many contributions to
the work of Faith and Order.

The general secretary referred to the work of the Special Commission on
Orthodox Participation in the WCC (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=1c287309be8df38e84ef ) a decade ago and 
stressed the
Orthodox contribution to both ecclesiological reflection in general and to
the ecclesial character of the fellowship of the World Council of Churches
in particular.

The general secretary concluded by reminding participants of the
forthcoming peace convocation (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=3a0e5d4ea8a4414d57f9 ) in Kingston, 
Jamaica. “Our task
will be to affirm that we aim at being one, so that the world may believe
that a just peace is possible. We know that in this island there is a
struggle for justice and peace. It is as part of our journey towards unity
and common witness that we participate in this struggle.”

More information on “The Nature and Mission of the Church” study
process (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=fd738ddecb46faddf837 )

Read also:

Feature article: Text and Context: The Nature and Mission of the Church
(Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=9eb703e8b5ba61ce9e77
) (13 October 2009)

Press release: Tveit meets with archbishop and president of Cyprus
(Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=7acbb998136486ded3b7
) (4 March 2011)


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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