wfn.org | Unity is possible, says Archbishop of Canterbury

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CLEVELAND (UMNS) -- While the vision of one, great Church may be
unachievable, a different type of unity is possible among the world's
Christians, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

"I abandoned a long time ago a theology of unity that assumes it means
uniformity and sameness," the Most Rev. George Carey told the United
Methodist General Conference during a May 10 ecumenical worship service.
"Human nature cannot accept that."

His sermon was a first for the denomination's top legislative body, which
had never before been addressed by an Archbishop of Canterbury. In his
introduction, Bishop William Oden spoke of Carey's love for Methodism and
the Wesleyan tradition and noted that his visit came at a time when an
international dialogue between the Anglican and Methodist communions had
concluded and a dialogue between the United Methodists and Episcopal Church
USA was to begin. 

Pointing out that New Testament scholars now consider diversity to be key to
studying the origins of the faith, Carey talked about what he termed an
"ecology of unity," as the word ecology refers to a variety of living
organisms living together and contributing to one another's welfare."

All great religious traditions accept expressions of diversity. In the
Anglican tradition, for example, theological and liturgical tastes may range
from conducting the Eucharist in the catholic tradition to allowing a
fluidity of expression in a charismatic "low church" setting. "In other
words, high and hazy or low and lazy," he quipped.

But, Carey added to applause, he doesn't like it when "one part of the
family believes that they hold the truth and nobody else does."

Ecological unity, the archbishop said, "may encourage us to move in stages
toward whatever final form of unity God may have in store for us." The first
stage - which has been achieved in some theological conversations, such as
the recent Lutheran/Anglican talks - is to recognize that the churches stand
in continuity with apostolic faith. "The next step beyond that is, of
course, to recognize one another's ministries as authentic and apostolic
ministries," he added.

Such a staged approach is part of the formal Anglican-Methodist talks
recently started in Great Britain. The archbishop noted that 30 years ago
the two churches "were within a whisker of establishing full, visible unity"
but lacked an affirming vote from the Anglicans.

"It is my strong hope that over the next few years a solid foundation for
unity between our churches will develop into a visible unity achieved by
measurable stages," Carey said. He also encouraged the United
Methodist-Episcopal dialogue.

Ecological unity also refers to the concept of mission because it concerns
the well being of the whole. "I have observed on many visits to the overseas
church that the best demonstrations of unity have been in prophetic
situations of witness when churches have stood together for people and for
the gospel," he added, naming South African, the Sudan and Northern Ireland
as examples. But he observed that old divisions seem to return when a common
enemy is overcome.

"I believe we must transcend our concern for the survival of the church and
start to focus our concern upon the Kingdom of God and its centrality to
church and society," the archbishop said, calling for Christians to do
evangelism, ministry, social concern and theological exploration together.

After the worship service, ecumenical visitors representing the African
Methodist Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Nazarene, Christian
Methodist Episcopal, Orthodox, Wesleyan, Greek Orthodox, United Church of
Christ and Episcopal churches were introduced. Representatives of the
National Council of Churches, National Conference of Catholic Bishops,
Consultation on Church Union, International Council of Community of Churches
and World Council of Churches also were welcomed.

The Rev. Robert Edgar, a United Methodist pastor who now leads the National
Council of Churches, spoke briefly and invited General Conference
participants to "join hands in prayer and commitment for what we can do
together."

The Council of Bishops recognized two ecumenical leaders of the United
Methodist Church for their individual commitment. They were Jan Love of
Columbia, S.C., a lay woman who has represented the denomination at the
World Council of Churches for more than 20 years, and the Rev. Kathryn
Bannister, a Kansas pastor currently serving as one of the WCC's presidents.

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-- Linda Bloom

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United Methodist News Service
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