Ecumenism, the working for the unification of Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians after centuries of division was one of the main prerogatives to emerge from the Second Vatican Council. An assumption that many, including myself, have worked off of is that unification will come quickest with the Eastern Orthodox Churches and possibly the Anglican Communion, which either have valid sacraments, or at least some sacramental sense, to go along with the apostolic succession (though Catholics would say that the Anglicans lack this, as well as lacking valid sacraments). What we call ecclesial communities, those born of the Reformation in the West that lack the sacraments and apostolic secession would be harder to reach an accord with. Along with these basic differences Rome has deeper theological differences along a broad list of topics with Protestants than with either the Orthodox or even the Anglicans.
My mind on this in the last few years had changed somewhat, but not in a positive way. The Anglicans continue to drift further away from Rome on many key issues, from the ordination of women to gay marriage. Even through the Anglicans voted not to perform same sex marriages this week, there are strong divisions between progressive British and American bishops in favor of such a change and traditional Latin American and, in a more pronounced way, African bishops opposed. Over the last two decades there's been a death watch of sorts on for the Anglican Communion; though they've defied expectations and remained untied thus far the danger of splintering into a hundred little pieces seems real. The Eastern Churches, after decades of existing underground in places like Russia and the Ukraine are becoming reestablished. Their issue has always been more about authority than theology, and now that they can function openly they don't seem eager to recognize the Pope as anything other than the Bishop of Rome, and nothing more. Relations are certainly more cordial with Constantinople, as with Canterbury, these days, but I'm still not sure unification is anywhere close to happening.
Rome has made progress in patching differences with Mainline Protestantism on certain theological issues. But these historical ecclesial communities have been in steep decline, in the U.S. at least, for almost forty years. While these communities often have some shadow of the sacraments at work, and a similar approach to scripture as Catholics (even if they lack Tradition and Magisterium), I'm not sure there's any "there-there." People who identify themselves as Lutherans or Presbyterians, for instance, has nosedived since 1974. As with the Anglicans, I wonder if there will be any organized body to reunite with before long. The real vibrant forms of Protestantism exist today in the Evangelical, Pentecostal, and non-denominational communities, that tend to get lumped together in the popular mind as Christian Fundamentalists. These groups have the least in common with the Church of Rome, and some of them question if we're Christians at all. How do you begin to find common ground with people who think you're a half pagan fulfillment of the Whore of Babylon from the Book of Revelation?
So, as I looked around I began to grow a tad discouraged about the prospect of great progress being made in this front. As Bishop Tony Parker, an Anglican cleric right in the middle of both the ecumenical and charismatic movements, says in a special video I feature below, diversity is Divine, division is demonic. This is not a trivial issue. This division in the Body of Christ is a scandal, and a true turning of the culture back to Christ won't happen until all who bare the name Christian come together.
Well my mind is beginning to change again. Below are two videos. One is the long version, containing Bishop Parker's testimony along with a message from Pope Francis to a group of Pentecostals meeting in Texas, U.S.A.. Yes, the Pope speaking in fraternal terms directly to Bible Belt Pentecostals, and the Pentecostals accepting the message in love and respect. Truly a graced moment. Is reunion coming tomorrow? No, but this gives me hope in a future, and a hope in a direction I had only seen futility. As the Pope says, this is God's work, and He can make miracles happen when and where we least expect it.
I'll stop. I encourage you to watch the complete video, and I'll have further reflections next week.
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