"Turn to God - rejoice in hope": Roman Catholic perspectives for Harare and beyond - World Council of Churches, eighth assembly in Harare - "Turn to God - Rejoice in Hope": Unfolding the Eighth Assembly Theme

Ecumenical Review, The, April, 1998 by Anton Houtepen

The historical and theological problems behind the hesitations about the fuller participation of the Roman Catholic Communion of Churches in the WCC are rather obvious, and have been analyzed many times. One hesitation has been felt from the beginning in WCC circles: how to reconcile, and to pay equal tribute to, the so-called "Protestant" principle and the so-called "catholic" principle if such a large "catholic body" were to join the WCC, thus adding its weight to the Orthodox and Anglican perspectives? Would not the emphasis brought by these churches on matters of church structure (issues such as primacy, episcopacy and apostolic succession) "displace" the identity of the Reformation churches, which rely on the pure initiative of the word of God and the response of faith, and focus on the doctrine of justification by faith alone? Such hesitations have been perhaps enhanced by the growth of the evangelical movements towards the turn of the century, a growth posing a further question: how to relate to and reconcile with them at the same time as with the Roman Catholic Church?(6)

The second theological-historical reason for hesitation about Roman Catholic membership in the WCC came on the part of Roman Catholic authorities. Being a relative latecomer to the ecumenical movement -- and that after years of opposition -- this church had not actively contributed to the ecclesiological and strategic discussions leading to the foundation of the WCC at Amsterdam in 1948. The Toronto Statement of 1950 was meant to make the participation of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic communions easier -- Roman Catholic theologians even participated in drafting it -- but "ecclesiological differences" remained a hindrance for membership. With the Second Vatican Council, its ecumenical attitude shifted from fierce opposition to warm collaboration. Several possible patterns of relationship(7) with the WCC, including the possibility of full Roman Catholic membership, were discussed at the WCC central committee meeting in Utrecht 1972. The only viable pattern thus far has proved to be that of a "growing collaboration and participation", which is controlled and guided by a Joint Working Group. Along with a number of joint ventures, such as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, this has worked out fairly well in the area of theological dialogue, especially as pursued in the Faith and Order commission. Since 1967 the Roman Catholic Church has sent 12 official delegates to Faith and Order and has participated intensely in work undertaken through theological institutes and other areas where ecumenical expertise is focused. Roman Catholic-WCC collaboration has failed, however, in matters of common witness and programmes related to justice, peace and the integrity of creation.

Looking at the contribution thus far of the Roman Catholic Church to the one ecumenical movement (with its apparent failures and omissions), and taking the existence of the World Council of Churches as a gift of the Spirit to this century, and as a privileged instrument of that one ecumenical movement (while recognizing its deficiencies and failures), what would be feasible proposals for the more intense collaboration of these two bodies towards the WCC eighth assembly and the Year 2000? I see at least the following imminent possibilities and tasks.(8)