Dr. Tom Oden October 19, 2001
[NOTE: This is a revision of the Address given on the 20th Anniversary of the Founding of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, Oct. 1, 2001, omitting IRD references.]
The irony of the new ecumenism is that it is much older (by a millennium)
than what we are here calling the old ecumenism. So by old we mean old modern, by new we mean new classic. The old ecumenism is focused on new structures of organic unity. The new ecumenism is seeking to restore classic Christian verities within and despite the old divisions.
The old ecumenism is moribund. A new post-Lambeth, post-NCC ecumenism is taking form in the womb of current history. Some readers of First Things will be understand themselves as called to be a handmaid in this birthing. Interpreting this emerging situation is the first task. We are witnessing a basic reconfiguration of ecumenism.
A. The Old and New Ecumenisms Contrasted
1. How do the two ecumenisms, old and new, differ?
There are two ecumenisms. The old ecumenism is decisively identified with Geneva and the 475 Riverside establishments- the World Council of Churches (WCC), and the National Council of Churches (NCC). This is the old ecumenical movement everybody has known for fifty years. But few are aware of a new ecumenism which is embryonic, yet sufficiently developed to recognize some of its characteristics. These two do not differ absolutely, but represent distinguishable tendencies, and have quite different manifestations.
Discussion
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