wfn.org | Episcopalians: Vatican's Cardinal Kasper says ecumenical movement is in 'crisis'

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

May 21, 2002

2002-127

Episcopalians: Vatican's Cardinal Kasper says ecumenical 
movement is in 'crisis'

by C. Christopher Epting

(ENS) In his address to the National Workshop on Christian Unity 
meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, Cardinal Walter Kasper of the 
Vatican's Pontifical Council on Christian Unity opened his 
address May 21 by stating that the ecumenical movement is in 
"crisis" as we enter the 21st century.  This crisis should be 
understood in its original sense as an opportunity having both 
positive and negative possibilities, being "on the knife edge," 
he said.

Kasper said that positive signs include the signing of the 
Joint Declaration on Justification between the Roman Catholics 
and Lutherans, ecumenical events of the Jubilee Year, the fact 
that the 20th century has been one of martyrdom in all the 
churches (and the blood of the martyrs is, after all, the seed 
of the church),  Pope John Paul II's extensive travels on behalf 
of church unity, and the prayer for world peace in Assisi 
occurring for the second time last January.

The papal encyclical "Ut unum sint" points out at the very 
least that churches and ecclesial communities are no longer 
enemies but friends, Kasper argued.  Dialogue between the Roman 
Catholic Church and the Orthodox has shown signs of promise, yet 
today there are disagreements and even accusations of 
proselytism which hamper results.   He said that conversations 
between Roman Catholics and evangelicals have revealed that 
while these two groups of Christians are far apart 
ecclesiologically,  they often share much in their 
understandings of the authority of Scripture and certain ethical 
issues.

Solid ecumenical education

Developments which can impede the ecumenical movement in this 
new situation include the fact that thirty five years have 
passed since Vatican II and sixty-five years have passed since 
the development of the World Council of Churches.  Many younger 
theologians and pastors take ecumenism and ecumenical progress 
for granted and, for them, many of the theological barriers are 
really no longer impediments.  In this context, it is important 
that solid ecumenical education take place so that we do not 
forget our history.

Secondly, there is a new emphasis on "identity."  A great 
question for many today is, "who am I?"   This finds its 
expression ecclesiastically in Orthodox churches  regaining a 
sense of their own identity, post Communism.  And we see it also 
in certain German Lutheran opposition to the Joint Declaration 
on Justification.  It is important, in this context, to assert 
that ecumenism today does not mean a loss of identity, but a 
certain unity in diversity, Kasper said.  Next, it is true today 
that all ecumenism cannot be done internationally and from a 
centralized location.  Local churches must take up their 
responsibilities in the ecumenical dialogue.

Transitional period

Kasper believes that we must live for now in the midst of 
this present transitional situation, a time of real but 
imperfect communion.  He spoke of this very word "communion" as 
the new ecumenical vision.  Nonetheless, churches and ecclesial 
communities can mean somewhat different things by this concept.  
Certainly, it refers to a kind of trinitarian unity in diversity 
and diversity in unity.  But some emphasize a somewhat "secular" 
use of the term, meaning a horizontal set of relationships while 
others  want to hold that in tension with the vertical 
dimension, since "koinonia" does not merely mean "communion" but 
"participation." (i.e. koinonia with the Father).  The 
sacraments express this "vertical" dimension.

Reformation churches have emphasized the local congregation 
as being the essence of the church, but even in these 
expressions often a wider supervisory role and understanding of 
episcope has developed, according to Kasper. Roman Catholics 
believe that the "local church" (the people in communion with 
their bishop) is the fulness of the church but that such 
churches cannot be isolated but must  be in communion with all 
other bishops and local churches. The one church and the 
diversity of local churches exist at one and the same time, he 
noted.

At the present time there seems to be no real consensus from 
churches and ecclesial communities in response to the Pope's 
call for dialogue about the eventual nature of a renewed  
Petrine primacy which could be shared by all, according to 
Kasper. Most churches want "communion with Peter, but not 
communion under Peter," he said.  So, we are in this 
transitional period, an "already but not yet time" of ecumenism. 
 There is no perfect church and we can all learn from one 
another.  The goal is not uniformity but to transform 
"contradictory" elements into "complementary" ones.

Next steps for this new age

"Real but imperfect communion" must manifest itself in "real" 
life, said Kasper, suggesting six "next steps" for this new age.

1. We must share best practices; we can already share 
together much more than we presently do and we should get on 
with that.

2. Ecumenical work can still be done together through conciliar 
bodies, national and world councils of churches.

3. We can continue our present dialogues seeking the nature and 
purpose of the church.

4. The "ministry question" remains central.  For Roman 
Catholics, episcopacy is central but much can be learned from 
Orthodoxy and the Reformation churches about "synodality" and 
the bishop in council.

5. There must be intra as well as inter renewal.  Renewal and 
reform must take place in all our churches individually as well 
as together.

6. And finally, we must remember that ecumenism is a gift of the 
Holy Spirit.  "Spiritual ecumenism" such as that we often find 
in and through monastic communities must  be emphasized.

Cardinal Kasper concluded by reminding his audience that 
"patience is the little sister of Christian hope."  He believes 
that one day unity will come as God's gift and as unexpectedly 
as the fall of the Berlin wall which surprised so many.  Until 
then, the ecumenical journey remains a joint pilgrimage toward 
that catholicity which Christ wills for his church.

------

--Bishop C. Christopher Epting is deputy for Ecumenical and 
Interfaith Relations.