THE HISTORY OF THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT
1. INTRODUCTION
History of the Ecumenical Movement is an integral part of the History of Christianity.
As with any other movements this movement also has contributed significant and lasting
monuments in the realm of the past history of the Church at large and has tremendously
constituted its growth. The expression of it can be seen in various forms and structures in
today’s Church.
Therefore, the study of the Ecumenical Movement is indispensable to apprehend the
History of Christianity in its full measure. Some important council in the early centuries of the
Christian era were called ‘ecumenical’. An ecumenical or general council is a meeting of
bishops of the whole church; local councils representing such areas as province or patriarchates
are often called synods.
According to the Roman Catholic doctrine, a council is not ecumenical unless it has been
called by the pope, and its decrees are not binding until they have been promulgated by the
pope. Decrees so promulgated have the highest authority.
Eusebius describes the council of Nicaea (325) as the first ecumenical council. Eastern
Orthodox Churches have seven councils were as Roman Catholic churches have Twenty-one.
The term ecumenism is used of the movement for church union from many individuals and
groups in the 19th Century and resulted first in the World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh
in 1910, and later, in the movements for Faith and Order and for Life and Work.
1.1. ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT: The word ‘ecumenism’ (noun) or ‘ecumenical’
(adjective) is the combination of two Greek words, viz Oikos- means house and meno means
to live. It can therefore be understood as living in a house. Thus, the Greek word ‘Oikoumene’
has the derived meaning as the whole inhabited world or the undivided human inhabitation.
Movement means a continued activity, transformation and progress. It is a process that moves
on to the specific goals. O.L. Snaitang in his book “A History of Ecumenical Movement: An
Introduction”1 explains ecumenical movement in five points:
1.1.1. Unity and Mission: in the 19th century, many Christian missions from Europe &
North America came to Asia, Africa and Latin America and were engaged in Evangelism. In
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O.L. Snaitang, A History of Ecumenical Movement: An Introduction (Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI,
2004),13-15.
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these countries, both native Christians and missionaries were troubled by the fact that while
the religion of Christ was one, the differences among various Christian missionaries were so
great as to create unnecessary tensions among its followers. In many countries, mission fields
became visible areas of missionary competitions.
Efforts were made in the 19th century to bring missionaries from different societies
together to a common sense of unity. The missionary conference that was held in New York in
1900 took the name ecumenical for the first time at the level of international missionary
conferences. The New York Ecumenical Missionary Conference was held from April 21 to
May 1, 1900. Following the World Mission conference, Edinburgh, 1910, the world gained
further popularity in inter-church/mission conference and signalled a movement towards the
reunification of the fragmented Christian churches so that the world might believe in Jesus
Christ. The challenges of the gospel in the mission fields made churches and mission societies
to realize the utmost importance of unity.
1.1.2. Union of Churches: Ecumenical Movement also meant reunion of churches. It
signified fellowshipping together of churches from different traditions.
1.1.3. A Dialogue with other Faiths and Ideologies: Ecumenism is an umbrella
wanted to acknowledge even people from other religious faiths and secular ideologies, like,
communism, Marxism, etc. it initiates dialogue and shares together on issues of common
interest.
1.1.4. In solidarity with victims of Injustices: In the recent past, ecumenical
movement has demonstrated itself as a movement that gave attention to the marginalized like
the blacks, aboriginals, minjung, dalits, tribals, women and the poor. It insisted on equality,
justice, liberty, fraternity, peace and communal harmony. It fought against racism, gender
discrimination, casteism and all forms of oppressive structures in the society.
1.1.5. Integrity of Creation: Defends, protect and preserves the health of the earth,
nature and environment.
1.2. UNITY IN BIBLICAL EXPERIENCES
The word Oikoumene is used several times in the New Testament with different
expressions but all to denote a kind of unity. The Romans used it to refer to the Roman
Kingdom. The entire inhabited world (used in retention of the Gk) Rom. 10:18, Lk. 4:5, 21:26,
Act. 11:28, 17:31, Mt. 24:14, Heb. 1:6, Rev. 3:10, 16:14. It has the political reference to the
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Roman Empire Lk. 2:1, Act. 17:6. “These who have turned the world upside down have come
here too”. In Heb. 2:5 it is used to give a universal meaning for human kind.
Bible has many references regarding the need of unity. Jesus prayed for unity in His
high priestly prayer (Jn. 17: 21-23). The experience of the first century believers (Acts. 4: 32).
St. Paul insists the need for unity. (1 Cor. 1: 10, Eph 4:3). The uniqueness and nature of
Christian faith was in Unity. (Eph. 4:4).
1.2.1. Babel experience of Unity (Gen 11:1-9): The main objective behind these plans
was well expressed in the statements that says ‘and let us make a name for ourselves’ (v.4).
Chap.11 tells us that the whole world had one language there were in most probability many
linguistic groups and national identities in the kingdom. In Gen 10:5 “each with his own
language, by their families, in their nations”.
Probably the Babel assembly could have been an assembly of the majority by the majority
and in the interest of the desires and wishes of the ruling majority. Their attitude to the
minorities was thus negative.
The Babel type of unity was a kind of unity that may be equated to dehumanization,
oppression and domination.
1.2.2. Experience of unity on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13): In Babel type of unity
where humankind looked upward to reach God’s seat at the expense of the minorities, the
happening on the day of Pentecost was somewhat different as the gathering together of the
disciples in Jerusalem did not have any intention to enforce a mono culture on the people. In
the book of Acts, we see that there were 16 linguistic groups, all maintaining their own distinct
identity. Unity in the day of the Pentecost was a unity in diversity.
1.3. THE CHURCH, THE UNITY OF CHRISTIANS AND THE UNITY OF THE
CHURCHES
1.3.1. The Church: ekklesia in secular Greek-a gathering of citizens called out from
their homes into some public place (cf. Acts 19:39). In the LXX, ekklesia is used as a role to
translate the Hebrew word qahal. This Hebrew word denotes Israel, the peculiar people of God
(Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers). In NT ekklesia only once denotes Israel (Acts 7:38- the
church in the wilderness). The church is called as the pillar and ground of the truth. (I Tim
3:15). The task of the church acc. to Ep 4:12 is that it should proclaim the gospel to the world,
and it should serve to the edifying of the body of Christ.
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1.3.2. The Unity of Christians: Christians are the members of one body. The epistles
to the Ephesians and Colossians speak more fully of this unity. Christians were urged to keep
the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:3). Unity exists; it needs only to be kept.
In Jesus intercession (John 17) he prays that his disciples’ may be one. The unity of the Father
and the son is the pattern for the unity of believers, and their communion with the father and
the son is the foundation of this unity.
The world saw the love of unity in early Christians- -
Tertullian (The Church Father, [Link] 150-220) relates that the non-Christians used to
say: ‘see how the Christians love one another’.
Minucins Felix (Christian author of the Tertullian period) quotes what non-Christians
says about of the Christian: ‘they love one another even before they have seen one another’.
Lucianus (Secular Author) in the beginning of the second century wrote about the
Christians: ‘Their lawgiver has put it into their hearts that all of them are brothers’.
1.3.3. Unity of the Churches: In NT, we find the word ekklesia in the plural which
refers to the people of God in different places. But in the NT times/age it was quite unthinkable
that more than one church could exist in the same place. Divisions and parties might exist in a
church as in the Corinthian church (cf. 1 Cor 1-4). Apostle Paul writes four chapters about the
tendencies that might develop into division and parties were not there in Corinth church as it
was in today’s sense. Then one united people of God, now a great many Christian Churches
and groups often compete with one another, oppose one another and even refuse to recognize
one another as Christian churches.
Roman Catholics oppose all other churches and proclaim itself as ‘the only saving
church’ and the Greek Orthodox Church virtually makes the same claim. Modern situation is
completely different from that of the NT era: then there was only one Christian church in the
world, now a great many different churches of diverse character. This means that unity of the
churches is something quite different from the unity of Christians. In his great prayer of
intercession (John 17) the Lord prayed for the unity of his disciples.
1.4. CHRISTIAN UNITY TILL 17TH CENTURY One of salient features of the
early church was that they were in “one mind and in one accord”. The driving force of their
unity was based on “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” Eph., 4:5. The early believers practiced
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a common life - a life of togetherness. The cross and blood of Christ broke down the barriers
and the Christian experience bound them together.
Therefore, there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised. Their unity
reached to a level of bringing together their resources to the Apostle’s feet and shared with
others. There was equality and fraternity in this fellowship.
However, the signs of division entered the church even in the first century itself. In Jn.
17:21-23 Jesus prayed for unity of the believers of the past present and future. But church
proved disunity on various grounds.
1.4.1. A survey of causes for division in the Church
[Link]. Division in the NT Community
[Link].1. Personal Attachment: This is the first reason of the division of the early
church. Eg. Euodias and syntyche at a church in Philippi (Phil. 4:2). Another example can be
seen in the Church at Corinth which was divided among four because of the personal inclination
(1 Cor. 1:11-12, 3:3-4, 6:1-6). Similarly, Diotrephes who was trying to become the leader
eventually divided the church (3 John 9-10). However, these divisions were only in the
individual local churches and the church as a whole was not affected.
[Link].2. Communal Division or Racial Division: This was the most dangerous threat
to the unity of the church, concerning the admission of the uncircumcised gentile converts into
the Christian church.
[Link].3. False Teachings: This was a severe divisive force which affected the unity
of the early church. There were individuals who wanted to emphasize the divinity of Jesus
rejected the divine incarnation. They taught that Jesus was inferior to father. It was the spirit
of anti-Christ which denied the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. 2 John 7-11. Gnosticism
and Marcionism were the main heretics at that period.
[Link]. Post-Constantinian division After the conversion of Constantine, through the
historic Edict of Milan 313, Christianity was declared as a national Religion in the Roman
Empire. The church came under imperial security. The rise of strong and influential heretical
teachings divided the church into several groups. Arianism, Macedonianism, Apollinarianism,
Eutychianism etc. were the main heretical teachings along with several others. Church was
polarized into several groups.
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[Link]. The Great Schism of 1054—Division of West & East: The differences in
political organization and ecclesiastical traditions and theological controversies that erupted
since 5th century had created an unbridgeable gulf between the East and the West. The western
church claimed itself to be more legitimate and superior to churches in the East but never
acknowledged the patriarchs of the East.
The chasm became deeper that finally led to complete separation in 1054. The primacy
of papacy vs. patriarch the doctrine of cons-substantiation vs. trans-substantiation, regarding
marriage of the clergy vs. celibacy veneration of Mary, keeping of images, purgatory etc. were
the differences. The variation in cultural, ecclesiastical and theological area, it was inevitable
that both sides were prone to rejection than acceptance of each other.
In 1054, the rift reached its climax when the envoys of Pope Leo X and Patriarch
Michael Cerularius encountered. Cardinal Humbert, Pope’s legate excommunicated the
patriarch. In exercise of the same freedom and authority, the latter too excommunicated Pope’s
legates. Michael Cerularis, patriarch of Constantinople (1043-1059) condemned the western
church. Then Pope Leo IX excommunicated the patriarch and his followers on July 16, 1054.
The patriarch of the East, in return, anathematized the pope of Rome and his followers. From
this time the Roman Catholic Church and the GK Orthodox Church went their separate ways.
[Link].1. Division within the Western Church: One of the foremost characteristics
of the medieval church lies in the establishment of the Papacy in Rome. During the 13th century
the absolute power of the Pope was its historical heights exercising absolute power over all
phases of life in medieval Europe.
Hildebrand (1020-1085) was the power behind the papal throne before he became
pope. He was elected as the Pope in 1073. He was able to humble the emperor. He was now in
position to bring temporal power with him in addition to the power of Holy See.
Innocent III (1161-1216) was elected as Pope in 1198, brought the medieval papacy
to the zenith of its power. He was the strong believer in the right of the pope as the supreme
authority on earth, task of ruling the whole world as well as the church. Pope stood above men
and below God. Innocent was able to bring the rulers of the rising nations of England and
France under his control and to defeat the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He disciplined
King Philip of France for leaving his second wife.
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Boniface VIII (1294-1303) brought the papal power to its nadir. Boniface was defeated
by king Philip of France and papal office came under the control of French Kings. Then the
pope transferred his capital from Rome to Avignon, France in 1309 and remained there for
about 10 years. This is the period of ‘Babylonian Captivity’ and during this period, the papacy
lost both its honour and influence.
Pope Gregory XI who returned to Rome in 1377 passed away in the following year.
Eventually it resulted in two rival Popes, one each in Rome and Avignon. This situation lasted
for thirty years. When the council of Pisa (1409) intervened and elected a new pope, the two
rival popes still continued in office and did not tender their resignations. So there were three
popes for some years.
1.4.2. Attempts of unity till the pre-reformation era: During the apostolic period they
addressed the problem of division and advised the believers about the need of unity and invited
them to the love and unity. Schism was the first issue dealt for the first time in the Corinthian
church. In Gal. 2:1-14, Paul, who had the right understanding of the Gospel, intervened and
convened a council at Jerusalem and Acts 15 shows us the steps taken to avert Communal
Divisions among the churches.
The Johannine Epistles also gave warnings against false teachers who were bringing
disunity. The Church Fathers like Tertullian and Irenaeus strongly refuted false teachings, and
instructed the Christians that they must hold fast to the baptismal confession of faith.
Church fathers were too actively working for the unity of Church. The best example is
the bishop of Rome who excommunicated Marcion, the heretic teachers. In order to protect the
unity and integrity of the church with the emperor’s support different councils were held.
Council of Nicaea - 325, Constantinople - 381, Council of Ephesus - 431, and council of
Chalcedon - 451 were the important councils arranged to heal the problem of disunity produced
by the heresies.
There were significant attempts like the council of Lyon 1274 and the council of
Florence which sought to restore trust and confidence but ended in vain following rejection
from the synod of Constantinople in 1484 of the Florence’s union effort. The role of the
reforming councils or the conciliar movement, like the councils of Pisa (1409), Constance
(1414-1418) and Basel (1431-1439) to bring a sense of unity through the councils were also
very significant.