Ecumenical Dialogue from a Non-Catholic Perspective

[dzheremi]

I think one thing that we all have to be very careful with is being too insular. We are all commanded by Christ to preach the Gospel. I’m struck especially by the address our new Pope gave just prior to the conclave that elected him in which he said: “When the Church does not come out of itself to evangelize, it becomes self-referential and then gets sick.”

I agree with Pope Francis.

I also think that this ‘going out of oneself’ must extend beyond just theological dialogue and into what are traditionally referred to as corporal acts of mercy. I sadly see in many people I know a lack of care and concern with people who are “not us”.

I’m not sure what you’re talking about here. I don’t think the thousands upon thousands of poor Kenyans, Zambians, and Tanzanians served at the Coptic Hospital in Nairobi or by the orphans project in six sub-Saharan African countries would recognize a “lack of care and concern with people who are not us”, either. So I’m not sure what this has to do with what I posted. Truly preaching the apostolic Orthodox faith means exactly the opposite of that mentality.

Perhaps if we could look at every single person as our brother or sister and bring Christ to them both physically, spiritually, and morally the world would be a little better.

We already do. Every person is at least a potential brother or sister in Christ. This says nothing about non-Orthodox Christian groups and their doctrines, however, and that’s usually what ecumenism is about.

 

[just_came_back]

ecumenics for me is trying to understand each other’s beliefs better. You’re talking, posting?, to a person who has felt the power of God in both protestant and catholic services to the point of tears of both joy and remorse. My own walk with the Lord has NOT been easy and yes, I’ve jumped both sides of the coin several occasions. I can’t explain it. I am in therapy for it and a host of reasons but I know God has raised up great faithful men and women in ALL churches and in this present secular age, WE MUST COME TOGETHER to stand up for what is right because the persecution is here and it’s only going to get STRONGER and more vile up unto the time of Christ’s Second Coming.

 

[JMJ_coder]

I agree with Pope Francis.

I’m not sure what you’re talking about here. I don’t think the thousands upon thousands of poor Kenyans, Zambians, and Tanzanians served at the Coptic Hospital in Nairobi or by the orphans project in six sub-Saharan African countries would recognize a “lack of care and concern with people who are not us”, either. So I’m not sure what this has to do with what I posted. Truly preaching the apostolic Orthodox faith means exactly the opposite of that mentality.

We already do. Every person is at least a potential brother or sister in Christ. This says nothing about non-Orthodox Christian groups and their doctrines, however, and that’s usually what ecumenism is about.

The last two paragraphs were my rambling more about individuals than Churches as a whole, though we always must continually recommit ourselves to following the Gospel. They were probably more addressed to myself than anyone else.

 

[Lisa1967]

I would like to see more ecumenical dialogue. We are all Christians and have more in common than what divides us. A good start would be allowing all Christians to receive Communion in the Catholic church. In the non-Catholic churches I go to (ELCA Lutheran and Episcopalian), all baptized Christians regardless of denomination are welcome at the table and that’s how it should be.

 

[JMJ_coder]

I would like to see more ecumenical dialogue. We are all Christians and have more in common than what divides us. A good start would be allowing all Christians to receive Communion in the Catholic church. In the non-Catholic churches I go to (ELCA Lutheran and Episcopalian), all baptized Christians regardless of denomination are welcome at the table and that’s how it should be.

Do you believe what the Catholic Church teaches about the Eucharist? Do you believe that the bread and the wine no longer exist at all, but that it is truly, fully, entirely, substantially the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ? It is no mere symbol, but it is the Lord. How can one partake of something they do not fully understand or agree with? That is one reason why non-Catholics are not invited to receive Holy Communion at Mass (though there are other reasons).

 

[hn160]

I would like to see more ecumenical dialogue. We are all Christians and have more in common than what divides us. A good start would be allowing all Christians to receive Communion in the Catholic church. In the non-Catholic churches I go to (ELCA Lutheran and Episcopalian), all baptized Christians regardless of denomination are welcome at the table and that’s how it should be.

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod practices closed communion and allows only those in fellowship with it to commune. When you allow persons to commune that do not believe in Real Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in the bread and wine, they could be receiving it to their harm.
Catholics, Orthodox, and Lutherans believe in the Real Presence. Calvinist type Churches, which include the Episicopal Church because their theology is all over the place either believe in the spiritual presence or it is just a memorial meal. I respect the Catholic Church in not allowing non-Catholic to commune.

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

I wonder if Jesus would find it useless?

Neither party will concede, thats simply the fact of the matter.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Unless dialogue leads to doing and sharing things together, it will be futile.

Blessings

Eric

 

[steido01]

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod practices closed communion and allows only those in fellowship with it to commune. When you allow persons to commune that do not believe in Real Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in the bread and wine, they could be receiving it to their harm.
Catholics, Orthodox, and Lutherans believe in the Real Presence. Calvinist type Churches, which include the Episicopal Church because their theology is all over the place either believe in the spiritual presence or it is just a memorial meal.** I respect the Catholic Church in not allowing non-Catholic to commune.**

Not only do I respect the CC for keeping communion closed, but I commend her! 1 Corinthians is pretty clear about how the sacrament is to be shared.

“Y’all just come on up here!” is not ecumenism. It’s feel-good foolishness.

 

[benjohnson]

This is why many Orthodox object to ecumenism in the modern sense, as it is in a way a kind of “race to the bottom”,

I share your concerns. If ecumenism is compromise on God’s truth, then we reject it.

Truly, I could see how false ecumenism could turn our god-given Church into a relativistic Unitarian social club. We have sinned enough already!

But we’re called to it. Slowly and honestly and with charity for not only others but with charity to our church. It’s our joy and honor to preach the Gospel, and ecumenism is part of that calling.

 

[Miriam1947]

I would like to see more ecumenical dialogue. We are all Christians and have more in common than what divides us. A good start would be allowing all Christians to receive Communion in the Catholic church. In the non-Catholic churches I go to (ELCA Lutheran and Episcopalian), all baptized Christians regardless of denomination are welcome at the table and that’s how it should be.

Communion in a Catholic Church means that you agree and believe all that the Church teaches. It has always been thus.

Is that the case with you? If not, I’m sorry, you won’t be receiving. If so, why are you not Catholic?