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Logan
Guest
I was wondering if in your opinions if ecumenism is working? I have a hard time telling.
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Catholic_Dude
Guest
Ecumenism encompasses a WIDE range of issues. Ecumenism is working in some areas but failing miserably in others.
Where it is working the best is in the area of showing Protestants we are happy to acknowledge what truths they do have and this opens them up to hearing what the Church has to offer.
Where it is failing is in no win situations where progress cannot be made yet much time and energy is still put into it. This is true for just about every non-Christian religion we are in dialogue with, there is not enough common ground to move forward and yet there is a lot of time and energy invested into it.
Also bad are the situations where documents of “agreement” are signed that gloss over serious differences. The document Evangelicals and Catholics is about the strong agreement of Catholics and Protestants on social issues, but glosses over issues like salvation.
Where it is working the best is in the area of showing Protestants we are happy to acknowledge what truths they do have and this opens them up to hearing what the Church has to offer.
Where it is failing is in no win situations where progress cannot be made yet much time and energy is still put into it. This is true for just about every non-Christian religion we are in dialogue with, there is not enough common ground to move forward and yet there is a lot of time and energy invested into it.
Also bad are the situations where documents of “agreement” are signed that gloss over serious differences. The document Evangelicals and Catholics is about the strong agreement of Catholics and Protestants on social issues, but glosses over issues like salvation.
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Logan
Guest
bump 
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cyberjacques
Guest
I can understand why you may feel this way, but allow me to offer an alternative evaluation.
I think that Ecumenism is accomplishing exactly what it is supposed to, in that it is bringing together those people who agree on what is right and what is wrong, and is even helping many to see the error of their ways, while simultaneously exposing the wicked for what they are by forcing them to disagree with obvious truths. It is polarizing humanity, separating the sheep from the goats, so to speak.
Do I think it will make the entire world Christian? Probably not. But many non-Catholic Christians are becoming Catholic, and those denominations that are losing members are either realizing that the Catholic Church isn’t so bad and sometimes even returning to the fold, or are drifting even further from the truth, causing them to lose more members. The Anglican Church is a perfect example of this phenomenon.
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joeybaggz
Guest
If ecumenism is simply another word for prosletyzing (sp?), it’s doubtful.
If ecumenism is that which we call being open to the truth and allowing the Holy Spirit to work where He is welcome, of course it is working.
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Contarini
Guest
I don’t think ecumenism is a pragmatic tool. It’s an expression of truth–a way of proclaiming the Gospel. So it doesn’t “work” or “not work.” It simply is. It is one means by which God can draw us to a deeper union with Christ. It will never “work” in the sense of producing some sort of big super-church that embraces all who name the name of Christ. But I don’t think that’s its purpose.
Edwin
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angelusm
Guest
It doesn’t work. I don’t like ecumenism because I don’t like pretending. Ecumenist means pretending that all christian denominations and churches are “equal”, that all of them are right and that all of them are true. It’s an obviuos nonsense. If I believe that the CC is right, it means that those who believe in something different cannot be right. Amen. Jesus wants us to live in unity, He doesn’t want many different denominations to exist. That’s I pray for conversion of protestants. God bless.
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Contarini
Guest
Obviously ecumenism in this sense is wrong. But that is clearly not what the Catholic Church means by ecumenism, and not what the more sensible and orthodox Protestant ecumenists mean by it either.
Edwin
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Publisher
Guest
Those were my thoughts as well. Eumenism is not holding all beliefs equal. In a real sense it is seeking to understand others faith journies…to see “that of God” in face of those who hold differing beliefs. Ecumenism is a search for understanding one another and finding those things we hold in common.
Of course we are diverse in our beliefs…seeking to understand the “why’s” and “wherefores” of that diversity may eventually lead to respect…respecting others faith journey does not mean acceptance of belief…it means respecitng the individual’s struggle toward faith. It is seeing the face of Christ in one another.
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Holly3278
Guest
Yes, I feel that ecumenism is working. However, I wouldn’t say that I love it because ecumenism can be taken too far and sometimes it is taken too far.
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Syele
Guest
I like it so long as its not taken to some weird all are equal extreme. Hard to say that it is “working” though because not all participate. I don’t think its at all harmful though… so I said unsure.
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