Ecumenical rebirth

Christian Century, May 10, 2000 by Michael Kinnamon

* An ongoing process of theological dialogue aimed at, among other things, providing a foundation for the reconciliation of ministries by 2007. Ministry is simply bracketed in the current proposal and made the focus of intensive discussion once the new relationship is established. The COCU executive committee has made clear, however, that this dialogue will not start from scratch since all previous COCU documents have affirmed a threefold ministry with "bishops who stand in continuity with the historic ministry of bishops as that ministry has been maintained through the ages."

Doesn't this just postpone inevitable stalemate? Perhaps. It may be, however, that recent ecumenical developments (such as the Episcopal-Lutheran Concordat of Agreement) will provide new insights. It may be that new partners at the table (and several churches have expressed interest in joining this round of conversation) will offer new models. It may be that truly intensive discussions will lead beyond the former impasse.

The current shape of Churches Uniting in Christ rests on four crucial assumptions or affirmations.

1) The delegates to the last COCU plenary might well have echoed this famous statement from the early years of the WCC: "We may not pretend that the existing unity among Christians is greater than it in fact is; but we should act upon it so far as it is already a reality." These nine churches are not yet at the point where they can live in "full communion" with one another, but they are surely beyond the stage of occasional cooperation. Not all theological issues need be resolved before the churches give formal expression to the life that, in some places, they are already beginning to share. Indeed, it may be that shared life will provide the context for deeper theological understanding.

2) From its beginning, COCU had envisioned a church that is "truly catholic, truly evangelical, and truly reformed"--a vision that demands (at least) the participation of all nine communions. It would be easy to say, "If the Episcopalians or the Presbyterians don't want to join, let them stay behind." That, however, would betray the vision and lessen the possibility of renewal through the sharing of gifts. All are needed, even if that means returning (yet again!) to the question of ministry.

3) Since the 1960s, COCU's special significance and promise has been that it includes three predominantly African-American denominations and thus challenges the color barrier that has so divided U.S. Christianity. CUIC goes beyond previous COCU proposals to make "combating white skin privilege" the mission core of this new relationship. "There can be no authentic Christian community in CUIC," said the 1999 plenary, "if, by their unquestioning acceptance of unjust gains granted by an unjust system, white members of the community continue their tacit complicity in this unjust social order that denies the fullness of life to black members of the community." Is this simply rhetoric? CUIC offers a chance to find out.