wfn.org | WCC moves toward decision-by-consensus model

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6957 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

29-November-2001
01439

WCC moves toward decision-by-consensus model

Agreement addresses concerns of Orthodox member churches

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE - A special commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC) is
nearing agreement on a "consensus model" of decision-making for the world's
largest ecumenical body.

The commissioners say agreement on the plan will ease tensions between the
WCC and its Orthodox member churches.

During its Nov. 15-20 meeting in Berekfurdo, Hungary, the Special Commission
on Orthodox Participation in the World Council of Churches issued a
communiqui outlining a new governance model that would eliminate the
one-church-one-vote style of decision-making that has prevailed since the
WCC was founded more than 50 years ago.

As the number of Protestant churches around the world has grown, the
Orthodox churches have become an ever-shrinking minority in WCC balloting.

The special commission plans to meet in Helsinki, Finland, next May to
prepare its final report, which is expected for the WCC Central Committee
meeting to be convened in Geneva, Switzerland, next Aug. 26.

Responding to the Orthodox churches' complaints about WCC procedures - and
the withdrawal of two Eastern European Orthodox churches from the
organization - the WCC assembly created the special commission during its
meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1998.

The principal Orthodox concerns expressed in Harare included "certain
developments within some Protestant member churches ... that are reflected
in the debates of the WCC" (including Protestant proselytizing in Orthodox
countries); a lack of progress in ecumenical theological discussions; and a
perception that the WCC's present structure makes meaningful Orthodox
participation all but impossible.

The full text of the communiqui: 

The Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the World Council of
Churches (WCC) held its third plenary session Nov. 15-20 at Berekf|rdv,
Hungary, at the gracious invitation of the Reformed Church in Hungary.

The Commission is composed of an equal number of representatives appointed
by the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches and representatives from other
member churches of the WCC appointed by the WCC Central Committee. Its
co-moderators were Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Ephesus (Ecumenical
Patriarchate) and Bishop Rolf Koppe (Evangelical Church in Germany) and in
Bishop Koppe's absence, Dr Anna Marie Aagaard (Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Denmark).

The mandate of the Special Commission is "to study and analyze the whole
spectrum of issues related to Orthodox participation in the WCC" and "to
make proposals concerning the necessary changes in structure, style and
ethos of the Council" to the WCC Central Committee.

An interim report, summarizing the Commission's work from its first and
second plenary meetings in Morges, Switzerland, Dec. 6-8,1999, and Cairo,
Egypt, Oct. 23-25, 2000, was presented to the WCC Central Committee meeting
in Potsdam, Germany, Jan. 29 - Feb. 6, 2001. The interim report identified
five clusters of concerns:

	* issues related to membership;
	* a review of decision-making processes;
	* common prayer;
	* social and ethical issues;
	* ecclesiological issues.  

At its third plenary meeting, the Commission made considerable progress. One
of the most significant affirmations of the Commission was that consensus is
the appropriate decision-making method for WCC governing bodies. This
process intends to insure that all strongly held positions will be
incorporated in the report or in the process of the meeting as a whole, thus
contributing to a spirit of common work toward unity in the conduct of
business in the Council. By consensus, the Commission proposed the following
definition for further consideration:

The consensus method is a process for seeking the common mind of a meeting
without deciding issues by means of voting. A consensus is reached when one
of the following occurs:

(a) all are in agreement (unanimity);
(b) most are in agreement and those who disagree are content that the
discussion has been both full and fair and that the proposal expresses the
general 'mind of the meeting'; the minority therefore gives consent;
(c) the meeting acknowledges that there are various opinions, and it is
agreed that these be recorded in the body of the proposal (not just in the
minutes);
(d) it is agreed that the matter be postponed;
(e) it is agreed that no decision can be reached.  

Therefore consensus procedures allow any group of churches, through a
spokesperson, to have their objections to any proposal addressed and
satisfied prior to the adoption of the proposal, or on rare occasions for
any group of churches to stop any proposal until they are satisfied that
their concerns have been fully addressed.

It was recommended that, upon the completion of the work of the Special
Commission, "a parity committee," a group of 12 members - 50 per cent
Orthodox and 50 per cent others - will continue to give advice and make
recommendations to the Central an Executive Committees of the WCC.

The Commission affirmed the function of the WCC as a necessary instrument in
facing social and ethical issues. Taking seriously that such issues arise
out of the life of the churches, and that, at the churches' request, the WCC
speaks on their behalf rather than in their place, the Commission affirmed
that consensus methodology in WCC governing bodies would address many of the
concerns raised on social and ethical issues.

Addressing issues of common prayer, the Commission expressed that
"Christians need to plead together for divine assistance." At the same time
the Commission saw the need for careful guidelines for common prayer.

Underlying these discussions was the enduring question of how the churches
understand themselves in relation to the one Church, the Body of Christ.
This question was seen to permeate all issues under discussion.

Representatives of the membership study group, who met prior to the plenary
session of the Commission in Budapest, Nov. 12-14, presented a second
interim report, exploring alternative models of participation in the life
and work of the WCC. With the help of members of the Special Commission, the
membership study group is continuing to prepare a new set of criteria -
embracing both theological and ecclesial requirements - for the benefit of
churches applying for membership. It was expected that current member
churches would find themselves described by these criteria.

The members of the Commission attended Sunday worship in the Debrecen
Reformed Great Church and visited the Debrecen Reformed College.
During the worship, both co-moderators, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Ephesus
and Anna Marie Aagaard, addressed the congregation and gave an account of
the work of the Special Commission.
At a lunch reception, the presiding bishop of the Reformed Church in
Hungary, Gusztav Bvlcskei, as well as the president, Bishop Mihaly Markus,
and the general secretary, the Rev. Tibor Gvrvg, of the Hungarian Ecumenical
Council welcomed the Commission members. On behalf of the Commission
members, Dr. Aagaard expressed her warmest gratitude for the hospitality of
the Reformed Church in Hungry and thanked Bishop Bvlcskei and the Rev.
Bertalan Tamas for the excellent preparatory work and coordination. At the
close of the meeting, Commission members also expressed their thanks to the
WCC staff for their hard work on behalf of the group.
------------------------------------------
Send your response to this article to pcusa.news@pcusa.org

------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send an 'unsubscribe' request to

pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org