Christian unity

indy_man

If you have a spare 53 mins well less, start at 14 mins.

Here a Protestant interviews the Catholic writer and singer Mark Mallett.

at 50:30 from the interviewer, "Our past teleological divisions and separation in the body of Christ among Catholic's, Orthodox, Protestant Anglican is going to be washed away because I believe we are going to be holding up each other we are going to be clinging to each other..."

I like signs of unity throughout Christian churches so decided to post this.

No doubt there would be much Criticism of this thread but my hope is to hear some other stories of unity.

martinedwards

OK our church.

Church of the Good Shepherd, Monkstown

the only United Church of Ireland/Methodist church in Ireland. fully united, one priest, one set of books.

If there is a 5th Sunday in the month then we share with the Presbyterians up the road for the evening service.

we regularly have retreats at (RC) Drumallis in Larne and the Monastary in Rostrevor, in fact the ONLY time the monks in Rostrevor have all bailed out and locked the door behind them, was to come to us!!

BTW we're in the middle of a VERY loyalist estate in North Belfast.

SoulandForm

I wonder how much the divisions between Protestantism, Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism come down to different temperments.

Benny_Cake

martinedwards wrote: »

OK our church.

Church of the Good Shepherd, Monkstown

the only United Church of Ireland/Methodist church in Ireland. fully united, one priest, one set of books.

If there is a 5th Sunday in the month then we share with the Presbyterians up the road for the evening service.

we regularly have retreats at (RC) Drumallis in Larne and the Monastary in Rostrevor, in fact the ONLY time the monks in Rostrevor have all bailed out and locked the door behind them, was to come to us!!

BTW we're in the middle of a VERY loyalist estate in North Belfast.

That's really great Martin, you hear a lot of talk about ecumenism and Christian unity but you very rarely hear of it being put into action like that.

lmaopml

I just attended an evening in St. Agnes Parish Church in Crumlin village, where they held ticket sales for ten euro each to attend 'Songs of Praise' - the proceeds will go to those in need in the Philippines. Apparently it took a lot of arranging - but what a night for ten quid....:D

There were choirs in attendance from both Catholic and C.O.I., also a full Orchestra from the local community who put on the most spectacular community based night I've seen in a long long time, anything from Mozart to Abba..lol... Everybody enjoyed it, lovely people, lovely atmosphere, and a few rafters of the newly refurbished Church were raised with people just singing their little hearts out..

Lovely, lovely community, and certainly one that is engaged and just very very down to earth - all the simple things, talented people mixed with praise and song, and very ready to welcome everybody. Love em!

newmug

I'm in the most unified one of them all, in fact our name is the Greek word for "universal". Every bishop runs his own show, but within certain criteria. We make up over half the worlds population:D We get a serious amount of flak though. I call it the Man Utd effect. Splinter groups are frowned upon, mainly because we have such a wide ranging spread, surely your views would be tolerated somewhere - unless they are waaaaaay off the mark. Anyway, generally speaking, in our experience splinter groups are mostly politically motivated - that's a serious no no to anyone advocating Christ.

martinedwards

Benny_Cake wrote: »

That's really great Martin, you hear a lot of talk about ecumenism and Christian unity but you very rarely hear of it being put into action like that.

I've just applied for a job in the RC Diocese.

not a clue how it'll go, but I'm more loyal to my CHURCH than my denomination......

MRnotlob606

theres a presbyterian-methodist church here in waterford

SoulandForm

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

theres a presbyterian-methodist church here in waterford

There is one in Dublin too.

I dont see any real reason for the Church of Ireland to be separate from the Methodists in Ireland however with the Presbyterians its another story; I thought unlike the Welsh Methodists the Irish ones were Arminian?

Benny_Cake

It's in America but this is an Episcopalian (Anglican) / Roman Catholic congregation:

http://www.ha-arc.com

homer911

SoulandForm wrote: »

There is one in Dublin too.

I dont see any real reason for the Church of Ireland to be separate from the Methodists in Ireland however with the Presbyterians its another story; I thought unlike the Welsh Methodists the Irish ones were Arminian?

Having worshipped in all three and been a member of two, I would say that Presbyterians and Methodists have a lot more in common than either does with the Anglican church

indy_man

Brothers and sisters in Christ, according to Fr Tony Palmer and Pope Benedict and in the spirit of Elijah, Martin Luthers protest is now over.

Here is a very important statement from the Vatican website that should appeal to protestants as a Catholic I am happy with this statement that we are saved by Grace but grace equips us for works.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

15.In faith we together hold the conviction that justification is the work of the triune God. The Father sent his Son into the world to save sinners. The foundation and presupposition of justification is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ. Justification thus means that Christ himself is our righteousness, in which we share through the Holy Spirit in accord with the will of the Father. Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works

Before or if we get into a raging debate I just want to pause and thank God for any unity at all.

"Diversity is Divine, Division is Diabolical" - Fr Tony Palmer

Here Mark Mallet recently blogged about ecumenism
http://www.markmallett.com/blog/the-coming-wave-of-unity/

indy_man

Here is the full length version.

Does anyone else see the importance of this and the amazing times we are living in?

ppars

indy_man wrote: »

Here is the full length version.

Does anyone else see the importance of this and the amazing times we are living in?

Interesting video, and thanks to the internet, Christians are able to check, and realise, for themselves that the differences are not that great after all, rather than the old cartoon style characterture they were falsely fed about one another by the self interested extremists and spinners that will always exist on both sides, but are now thankfully being increasingly marginalised thanks to the much easier access to far more accurate information.

Viva Pope Francis.

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity


General Documents

Guidelines for Ecumenical Commitment
Spiritual Ecumenism at the International Level
Dialogue with the Orthodox Churches of Byzantine Tradition
Dialogue with the Oriental Orthodox Churches
Dialogue with the Assyrian Church of the East
Dialogue with the Churches and Ecclesial Communities of the West
Dialogue with the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Union of Utrecht
Anglican Communion
Lutheran World Federation
World Methodist Council
World Alliance of Reformed Churches
Dialogue with the Baptist World Alliance
Dialogue with the Christian Church - Disciples of Christ
Dialogue with Pentecostals
Dialogue with the Evangelicals
Multilateral dialogues
World Council of Churches
Presentations and contributions by the President of the Dicastery
Cardinal Kurt Koch (2010-)
Cardinal Walter Kasper (2001-2010)
Up-dates
Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews
Mennonite World Conference

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/

indy_man

The End of Ecumenism

http://www.markmallett.com/blog/the-end-of-ecumenism/#more-13947


Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: “For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church.” “Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn.” —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1271