A Communion of Martyrs

Ecumenical Review, The, April, 2000 by Sven-Erik Brodd

Is "full communion" between the churches in the church of Christ then equivalent to the "perfect communion" obtained from the grace of God by the martyrs? The answer is doubtless positive. We cited earlier the reference to "an imperfect but real communion" in paragraph 84, which is immediately followed by the statement "that this communion is already perfect in what we all consider the highest point of the life of grace, martyria unto death". The "imperfect" and "perfect" relate to the same object: the communion, which is simultaneously horizontal and vertical, personal and communal. Perfect communion is described throughout Ut Unum Sint in a variety of ways focused in the fundamental concept of love and contrasted with the imperfect. This is accompanied by deliberations on truth and the use of the images of road, way, travel, journey, clearly associated with him who is "the life, the truth and the way":

   We proceed along the road leading to the conversion of hearts guided by
   love which is directed to God and, at the same time, to all our brothers
   and sisters, including those not in full communion with us. Love gives rise
   to the desire for unity, even in those who have never been aware of the
   need for it. Love builds communion between individuals and between
   communities. If we love one another, we strive to deepen our communion and
   make it perfect. Love is given by God as the perfect source of communion --
   the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- that we may draw from that
   source the strength to build communion between individuals and communities,
   or to re-establish it between Christians still divided. Love is the great
   undercurrent which gives life and adds vigour to the movement towards unity
   (para. 21; cf. para. 18).

Most references to "full communion" or "full unity" in the encyclical refer to the relations, or lack of relations, between the Roman Catholic Church and other churches or ecclesial communities, but this is not always the case. "The ultimate goal of the ecumenical movement is to re-establish full visible unity among all the baptized" (para. 77). And this "full communion of course will have to come about through the acceptance of the whole truth into which the Holy Spirit guides Christ's disciples" (para. 36). The full communion "among all the baptized" (para. 100) involves all Christendom.

The quest for catholicity and the witnessing saints

It is of course not only the martyrs who live in perfect communion with Christ in that church triumphant which is present also in the church on earth. Other saints and all those "who have gone before us with the sign of hope" take part in the perfect and spiritual communion in Christ. They are mentioned in the eucharistic prayers of the Church of Sweden, and the congregation sings together "with all the faithful throughout the ages and with the whole company of heaven". Ut Unum Sint takes up the ecumenical challenge of this communion with the saints as part of the communion among churches: