What is unity and how does it serve as a goal for ecumenical dialogue? How can churches, ecumenical organizations, ministers, and theologians effectively approach this goal in the twenty-first century? Sustaining the Hope for Unity offers a methodological reflection on these questions using insights of contemporary critical theory. With particular attention to the work of Jürgen Habermas, the book develops a framework for exchanging religious narratives in a postmodern context marked by pluralism and ambiguity. Using this framework to address questions that have emerged out of the life of the World Council of Churches, Sustaining the Hope for Unityargues that unity must be imagined eschatologically in order to achieve inclusive and non-coercive dialogue between diverse Christian communities. Looking ahead to ecumenism in the twenty-first century, it makes a case for the role of the WCC as a public space for the exchange of religious narratives.

This volume of ecumenical documents, key texts, and critical essays is the first collection of its kind exclusively dedicated to Pentecostalism and its contributions to Christian unity. In the first part, a cadre of internationally renowned scholars addresses the ecumenical heritage and perspectives of the Pentecostal movement since the early twentieth century. Part 2 offers a collection of final reports from international dialogues with Pentecostal participation. The final part contains programmatic essays in response to The Nature and Mission of the Church, a major study on the doctrine of the church published by the World Council of Churches. Most of these essays were first presented by the ecumenical-studies group of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, currently the only organized ecumenical think tank among Pentecostals in North America. Since its formation in 2001, the group has encouraged Pentecostal participation in ecumenical concerns, has hosted Roman Catholic-Pentecostal conversations at the annual meeting of the Society, has invited international scholarly debates on ecumenical matters, and has engaged in the study of ecumenical consensus statements. The essays and documents in this collection model the dedication and commitment among Pentecostals today that engage the challenges and opportunities of Christian unity from the perspective of a tradition that has often been falsely accused of being anti-ecumenical. This collection presents an invaluable resource for teachers, scholars, and pastors interested in engaging the global Christian arena from the worldwide and ecumenical image of Pentecostalism. "Of all of the dialogues with whom the Roman Catholics have been involved in the evangelical community, the Pentecostal may be the most interesting and influential. The Pentecostal and Catholic communities have experienced serious tension in certain parts of the world, especially in Latin America. Therefore these dialogues, and the reflections brought together in this book, should be a rich source for the task of making the results of the dialogues a common heritage in Catholic and Pentecostal seminaries, colleges and universities, and congregations around the world. Dr. Vondey has assembled a line-up of Pentecostal scholars known for their depth, scope, and fairness, a set of essays that should be of interest well beyond the Catholic and Pentecostal communities."---Jeffrey Gros, FSC Memphis Theological Seminary "In the field of ecumenism the common perception is that the youngest and fastest growing movement in global Christianity has been absent. Pentecostalism and Christian Unity will not only expose this misunderstanding, but also prove to be an invaluable resource. Along with official bilateral documents, a series of essays documents the nature of Pentecostal ecumenical engagement and provides mature theological reflection on how to proceed. The ecumenical movement will be both enriched and challenged by this contribution."---Ralph Del Colle Marquette University

In Visible Church-Visible Unity Ola Tjorhom explores central questions in current ecclesiological and ecumenical debates from the perspective of an evangelical catholicity of "the Great Tradition of the Church." Tjorhom shows how the fundamental visibility of the Church and the similarly visible nature of church fellowship is a corrective cover against "invisible" perceptions of these entities. This theme of visibility is developed in view of the sacraments, the ministries, and the mission of the Church. Visible Church-Visible Unity includes "Chapter 1: Toward the End of the Reformation Project? The Riddle of Protestantism," "Chapter 2: The Great Tradition of the Church'-An Old Way Forward?" "Chapter 3: The Church-Mother of Faith and Priest of Creation," "Chapter 4: The Goal of Visible Unity-Reaffirming Our Commitment," and "Chapter 5: Life in the Spirit-Toward a 'Materialist' Spirituality."

Callan Slipper offers five ways for Christians to approach one another on the path toward unity. For as long as Christian churches and communities have been divided, there are those who have looked for ways to heal the fractures. Callan Slipper offers five ways for Christians to approach one another on the path toward unity. (1) Recognize the need; (2) Start from being united; (3) Proceed one person at a time, with love; (4) Don’t make yourself the measure of truth. Truth is a person. It is Jesus; (5) embrace the cross, and let Jesus’ love transform division. His observations come from years of experience with ecumenists, and his optimism that unity is inevitable is evidence that faith and hope undergird the challenges that abide our daily choice to build Christian unity by the way we love one another.

The work of uniting churches is slow, challenging, and multifaceted; and it changes in each generation and location. In this book, Josiah Baker studies the efforts of believers towards reconciliation as something significant for how we understand the church. He offers a theology for laborers, people for whom unity is not only an idea but a calling and sure hope. A Visible Unity is a study in systematic theology on the relation of ecumenical methodology to ecclesiological convergence, how acting together results in the churches being together. Ecumenical work informs ecclesiology because it involves the actions of Christians together in accordance with their shared views of the church. Whenever this work changes, the partnering churches change their relations and further resolve their divisions. Baker studies ecclesiology by telling stories about a person—the Pentecostal ecumenist Cecil Robeck—for Robeck’s decades of leadership in American and global ecumenical settings. By narrating his activities and analyzing his thought, the book offers a window into the interrelation of different portions of the ecumenical movement and how the movement has changed over the years. Baker compiles archival materials and personal interviews to tell stories about ecumenism never before published.

We would like to recommend this book to all who are concerned about the Porvoo fellowship as well as those who are commited to visible unity -K G Hammar and David Hope Apostolicity and Unity explores the purpose and potential of the Porvoo Common Statement (PCS), a major ecumenical agreement between the Anglican churches in Great Britain and Ireland and the Lutheran churches in the Nordic and Baltic nations. First presented in 1992 and now affirmed by ten signatory churches, the PCS provides the basis for church fellowship for approximately fifty percent of the so-called Protestant Christians in Europe. Porvoo is the European parallel to the 'Called to Common Mission' statement arising out of the Episcopal-Lutheran dialogue in the United States. Written by church leaders and theologians who have long worked for the cause of church unity, this volume discusses key aspects of the PCS, including the nature of the church, the basic characteristics of church unity, and the church's mission in the world. Special emphasis is placed on the theological core of the PCS -- its understanding of apostolicity and apostolic continuity, and its proposal of how different signs of such continuity can be shared between the churches within the framework of communion. Critical contributions from members of other church traditions round out the volume by assessing the wider ecumenical significance of the PCS.

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