Proclamatory, Apologetical Ecumenism

In my book, one of the best ways of doing ecumenism is to be loud and proud about who you are and what you believe. This is not to encourage dogmatism but it might encourage those who have a position to not only be able to spout it but also understand it from a theological/church history standpoint and be able to explain/defend it too! This is what apologetics is all about and ecumenical gatherings is one of the best arenas to engage in it because it requires dialogue.

There are some who think that ecumenism is about having the largest voice and deaf ears.

The problem with this is that those who refuse to challenge, or even ask, lead the shouters to think that this is the best way forward. The 'spiritual, silent ones' are never spiritual and rarely (once they get amongst friends) 'silent'!

A good example here might be the issue of (and I've taken one at random) 'Zionism'. Now, this is apparently an extremely contentious issue. The leader of one church that I know is not only 'anti-zionist', but is also a self-proclaimed 'pro-Palestinian'. Another leader doesn't give a hoot about Israel or Palestine and thinks they all need their heads banged together. Yet another leader thinks that we have to support Israel because it's what the Bible tells us we need to be doing!

The positions continue and eventually the decision is taken that rather than dialogue regarding the politics, study regarding the Biblical or engage with the varying positions and find out more, it is 'safer' to merely agree not to engage lest we fall out or find ourselves at odd with one another. Better to take the path of peaceful disagreement! We do the safe things like an Easter 'walk of witness' and gather to sing a few carol around a tree at Christmas and hope that the world assumes this means we are one!

What a load of tosh! Surely the Biblical solution is that we look at the important stuff, engage with the historical and political stuff, consider the humanitarian stuff, address Biblical issues and bring it all to the table (it might take months or years, but at least we would be engaging and working towards an informed, balanced and biblical consensus) so that even if we don't agree we might understand.

Would that we might stand up for what we believe and come armed with biblical, rational and honest arguments for the positions that we occupy. Would that we would bring our beliefs and opinions and share why we think, act, live and believe as we do.

Is it any wonder that Islam presents such a viable alternative to us when we are such milky, wishy-washy, lacking in faith people?

Study the subject

Think about and understand it

Explain it

Dialogue

And then one day everyone will clap and you'll become:

So come on then people, let's get started on the journey. Take something that defines you, your church, fellowship, denomination and understand what it means so that you can explain it to others as a valid, reasoned and (hopefully) biblical choice.

If you're Anglican then you have paedobaptism and if you're Pentecostal then it's the Anabaptist life for you - can you explain the differences and the reasons why or is it merely what you do?

If you're catholic then understand that you don't pray TO Mary (and if you do, you are wrong!) but can you explain where she fits in and what the snake is doing under her foot in the statues?

If you're pro-Palestinian, can you explain what you do with all the prophesies about Israel when you stand against that nation and vilify it?

If you're not pro-life then how do you reason with that one, what's the journey that took you there . . . and of course there's more besides (yep, there's even deep theology!!!). It's called apologetics

Pax