3 - 2003

Ecumenical Kirchentag

Celebration

The Charta Oecumenicais accepted by the churches

by Elisabeth Raiser

The podium discussion of the European churches’ Charta Oecumenica was followed by its solemn signing at a special worship service.

At the first Kirchentag shared by Protestants and Catholics, the ecumenical community as togetherness of the confessions was a dominant theme. The pathfinding document Charta Oecumenica was first introduced in detail to an audience which overflowed the hall, and then solemnly signed at a special worship service with the media much in evidence.

In this document, the churches of Europe commit themselves to contribute towards European unity, towards safeguarding peace, human rights and the creation, towards reconciliation among peoples and ecumenical cooperation. In concluding her statement, Elisabeth Raiser made suggestions for ecumenical agreements in the daily life of local churches.

There are already agreements which correspond to the Charta among churches in regional working groups, for example in Wuppertal or Freiburg. This is the level at which fundamental attitudes can change, at which sharing can be experienced in daily life! Firm agreements like these have many advantages: they relieve the parties of having to negotiate every year anew what they are going to do together, for example during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The parties also have a text to which they can all refer, in which what has already been agreed is recorded. The commitment also includes the churches’ governing bodies and not just groups involved in ecumenical action, so there is a real obligation; and the agreement itself can be a public event, making ecumenism visible.

What might such an agreement include? Regular local sharing of worship, for example. An important form of mutual recognition and fellowship is pulpit exchanges, which should take place regularly, at least once a year, and if possible include all the churches. There could be joint events for discussion of questions of faith, or social and ethical issues. Almost all adult education events could be planned on an ecumenical basis. Women’s groups and youth groups could have regular ecumenical meetings; catechism classes could be conducted ecumenically. Bible stories know no confessional boundaries, so why not hold Sunday school together?

Churches can also invite one another on special occasions such as jubilees, important visits, feast days, and invite the guests to take part by bringing greetings or contributing to the festivities. Each congregation can remember the others in intercessory prayer, mentioning their special concerns. The Catholic church already has a rich tradition of such intercession from which Protestants can learn.

We are talking about hospitality. Real hospitality takes the guests as they are, and doesn’t ask them to be like their hosts, when they come. I have always understood eucharistic hospitality to mean inviting members of other churches to share in this meal of reconciliation, trusting in the presence of Jesus Christ there. Why should not Christ be present at the Eucharist of a sister church? I ask this question with the renewed request to church leaders to take seriously the earnest desire of so many church members for eucharistic fellowship, and find ways to open it up.

It is also important to deepen our understanding of baptism, which the churches recognise in one another. Perhaps it offers the laity a theological and sacramental basis on which to feel that we belong to the One Church together with sisters and brothers of other churches, and to take responsibility ourselves for various kinds of steps towards unity. Ecumenical services of remembering our baptism are an appropriate step which we should rediscover and practise. Together we are strong, as laity among ourselves and in good cooperation with our clergy.

Dr. Elisabeth Raiser, a historian, was the Protestant Co-President of the Ecumenical Kirchentag.