Ecumenical Errors?

I regularly hear people moaning about the various events that go on in their local 'Churches Together' group. A 'for instance' being a group that has been involved in, and advertised amongst the local churches, political events, Youth Evangelism, Zionist, Pro-life and fund-raising events under its 'Churches Together' banner.

Now, one of the first rules of ecumenical engagement is that we won't always be putting on events that will float the boat of every minister, member or even congregation, but the whose point of being together is to publicise, pray and perhaps even attend that event. We might learn something, we might teach something and regardless we will be able to fellowship and engage and dialogue!

This is one of the potential strengths with an ecumenical approach in that we seek to share what we have from the position we come from. That some vote with their feet because they don't like the topic, viewpoint or belief is one of the weaknesses and says that the group is less 'together' than perhaps people would like to imply or state!

A second, valuable and important, point is that there are a number of issues which beset the Church (universal) these days and some of these foster assumptions regarding churches. I have recently had a discussion with someone who supports their local group but avoids contact with it because of the perceived 'weaknesses' and 'errors' . These focus on the usual stuff, such as homosexuality and whether it is a right lifestyle in a Christian setting, attitudes towards pro-life issues, orthodoxy over revisionist or liberal thinking, alcohol and myriad numbers of other issues.

The reality is that some will take the position that homosexuality is right, others will be undecided whilst still more will support it as a legitimate Christian practice.

Some people are hung up about israel and see the nation state as being the people of God. Others see Israel as a spiritual body! Some will look at Palestine and will want to make a stand against Israel on the strength of what they see. We each have a right to hold our views (although I'd have to issue the caveat 'as long as they are Biblical', but that's my view of course - just as what constitutes 'Biblical' might be considered a view).

Some people have no problem with abortion and other issues which would set the 'pro-life' member ablaze with campaigning fervour and mutterings about murder and the like. Again, we have our views and they will differ - this is, once more, what 'Churches Together' brings out.

Some struggle over women priests whilst others struggle with the concept of 'priest' [full stop!]. Some consider paedobaptism to be wrong whilst others consider the anabaptist approach or re-baptising as directly acting contrary to Scripture. Some refuse to baptise at all unless it's on their terms! Yep, we're a pretty mixed-up and contrasting bunch of believers. . . But this is where the strength of being a 'Church' also lies!

We meet to share where we can, to seek the image of God in one another and to share in the propagation of the Gospel, to build THE CHURCH where you are, not just YOUR OWN church.

When people come who want what we don't have in our fellowship I send them on to other fellowships so that they might be blessed in a place that fits their beliefs and bless them by their presence. This is what 'Churches Together' is about.

I am being careful here not to put my own positions on Israel, homosexuality, baptism, women in the Church, Abortion (or anything else) into the mix, for it is not about my views. This issue of ecumenical engagement is a timely and most welcome one to pop up on the horizon at this time, for it is a discussion that many fellowships and gatherings probably need to have and one which needs to be considered frankly and honestly. I will come clean on my views regarding anything and everything if asked by the way, but it's not about personalities but about attitudes, thought processes and practices!

I have hobbies where some of the lectures on offer excite me greatly whilst others leave me cold. I go to those that attract me and some which might enlighten me a little on a subject I think I know and have no interest in and always find they are beneficial. Surely if the world can do this so too can the Church?

I will repeat a story I have told before [yawn!]:

Back in the early nineties I was involved with some stuff to do with the local 'Churches Together' group. I was persuaded to go to a meeting of said group and after some insipid fellowship (grey in colour) we had some sharing (superficial with thinly veiled distrust and well-polished hypocrisy) which was followed by the Eucharist, Communion, breaking of bread, agape or whatever it was called. To do this part of the meeting about four groups were assigned rooms so that they could do whatever it was they did!

When I asked what was going on , I was shown their constitution, "To share in the unity of the body of Christ* and to serve and build the Church in nnnnnnnn"

I looked at the footnotes and there it was: "Except where doctrinal, denominational or other differences apply!"

This finished me engaging with anything ecumenical, for wherever I went I found the same to be true (whether stated or merely enacted) wheresoever the caravan stopped. Some groups are a refreshing change from this at many levels, and I hope they will continue to be so, whilst those who are not might take a leaf from their pages.

Christians need to have full, frank and open conversations and to do so quickly before they find the fragmentation and the descending of churches and fellowships into their own 'small corner', taking the light with us leave the shepherdless sheep to fall prey to others who would steal them away!

Pax