Bringing Churches Together: A Popular Introduction to Ecumenism, By Gideon Goosen. Geneva, Switzerland, WCC Publications 2001. Pp. ix + 173. $14.50
Goosen intends this broad overview of ecumenism to be read by the average student of theology. It covers the essentials to a theology of ecumenism, current dialogues and issues regarding the debate of ecumenism, the history of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and the two main rifts in Christianity: the East/West divide of 1054 C.E. and the protestant reformation in the sixteenth century. This a revised and enlarged edition of a text that was first published in 1993, contains two additional chapters, one on ecumenical ethics, and the other on interreligious dialogue (chapters seven and eight, respectively). The later chapter on interreligious dialogue is a welcome addition, as Christians today should seek not only a Christian unity, but also a common unity of all humanity, for each of us are created imago dei. There are four appendices, covering some potential activities for further ecumenical learning, sketches of various protestant reformers, a list of the rites in the Roman Catholic Church, and a list of Church Councils, respectively.
Within the remainder of this review, poignant thoughts from the various chapters will be highlighted. For example, in giving the foundation of the book, Goosen notes the importance of ecumenism is the healing of old wounds and restoring unity. The motivation for this, he asserts, is firstly theological, and secondarily obligatory, as the church is called to give witness to Christ. This ecumenism is to be characterized by the search for truth, the search for sources and origins, and the quest for fellowship. Because humanity was created for communion with God and with each other, it is imperative in Goosen’s view to restore the koinonia through ecumenism.
In giving a brief history of ecumenism, Goosen admits to their being instances of division apparent amongst Christians from the very beginning of the church, but notes equally that there have been instances of attempts to patch up the differences likewise since the beginning of the Christian church. He asserts that as more people search their hearts, the scandal of disunity will become more apparent, which will make apparent the necessity of ecumenism in today’s environ (77). Some of the various issues that Goosen recognizes as important to the continuance of ecumenism include baptism, Eucharist observance and meaning, the rite of marriage, ordination for service, and the potential usage of female priests/preachers.
The goals of ecumenism, as noted by Goosen, include: the acquisition of an empathetic attitude toward other religions and denominations, the removal of ignorance about others who are dissimilar to you, a common understanding of human rights, the unity of people in the preservation of this planet, and individual enrichment by listening to the Spirit as expressed in and through other religious traditions (134). In sum, for anyone looking for an excellent and erudite introduction to interreligious dialogue and ecumenism, I heartily recommend this text by Goosen. Moreover, I deem the text to be a worthwhile read for introductory courses at the undergraduate level.
Bradford McCall
Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA.