David M. Chapman

Ecumenism and the Visible Unity of the Church: ‘Organic Union’ or ‘Reconciled Diversity’?

This paper traces the origins and subsequent use of the concepts of ‘organic union’ and ‘reconciled diversity’ as alternative descriptions of the visible unity of the Church and the method and goal of ecumenism, with special reference to the documents of the World Council of Churches and a select number of related texts emanating from theological dialogue at a world level. The paper argues: (1) that each of these concepts preserves valuable insights into the unity and diversity of the Church; (2) that the corresponding approaches to inter-church relations and dialogue need not be incompatible as ecumenical method; (3) but that ‘reconciled diversity’, as it is usually described, is only a temporary state on the way to ‘organic union’ and not itself a sufficient expression of the full visible unity of the Church.

Roman Catholics and Baptists in Dialogue: Convergence and Divergence Assessed

This article provides an overview of the latest report of formal conversations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Baptist World Alliance, The Word of God in the Life of the Church (2010), drawing attention to points of ecclesiological interest. It begins by sketching the report’s historical and theological context in Baptist-Roman Catholic relations and dialogue before considering the aims, scope and methodology of the conversations. The article comments on the report’s treatment of its main themes: Scripture and tradition; Christian initiation; Mary as a model of discipleship; and the ministry of oversight. The article concludes that the report is a substantial theological convergence statement of broad ecumenical interest and significance.

Consensus and Difference: The Elusive Nature of Ecumenical Agreement

The article examines the elusive nature of ecumenical agreement and the slippery notion of consensus, particularly in dialogue between the Roman Catholic, the Lutheran and the Anglican Churches, not least in the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (1999) between the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation. In a critical engagement with Minna Hietamakis Agreeable Agreement: An Examination of the Quest for Consensus in Ecumenical Dialogue (2010), the article draws attention to the general lack of critical reflection on methodology in ecumenical dialogue and encourages a heightened awareness of its pitfalls.