On the Way to Fuller Koinonia - Official Report of the Fifth World Conference on Faith & Order

"The Encyclopedia of Christianity is the first of a five-volume English translation of the third revised edition of Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon. Its German articles have been tailored to suit an English readership, and articles of special interest to English readers have been added. The encyclopedia describes Christianity through its 2000-year history within a global context, taking into account other religions and philosophies. A special feature is the statistical information dispersed throughout the articles on the continents and over 170 countries. Social and cultural coverage is given to such issues as racism, genocide, and armaments, while historical content shows the development of biblical and apostolic traditions."--"Outstanding reference sources 2000", American Libraries, May 2000. Comp. by the Reference Sources Committee, RUSA, ALA.

Visible unity means that churches recognize in one another a witness to the fullness of the apostolic faith which they profess. Will Christians be able one day to declare together before the world, in common confession and praise, their faith in who God is and what God has done? This text-growing out of many years of study and consultation, involving theologians from various Christian traditions and from all parts of the world-is a unique instrument for drawing the churches toward such a common confession. As a contemporary explication of the creed that emerged from the ecumenical councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381) and is used in both Eastern and Western Christian liturgies, Confessing the One Faith relates the subject matter of those ancient affirmations to the challenges of today's world-in which the language and philosophy of the fourth century sound alien to many, and the basic affirmations of the Christian faith are widely questioned. This new edition includes an introduction written by Dame Mary Tanner, a president of the World Council of Churches.

In 1937, prior to the 1948 inauguration of the World Council of Churches, Karl Barth challenged the churches to engage in 'real strict sober genuine theology' in order that the unity of the church might be visibly realized. At that time The Salvation Army didn't aspire to become formally known as a church, even though it was a founding member of the WCC. Today it is globally known as a social welfare organization, concerned especially to serve the needs of those who find themselves at the margins of society. Less well known is that seventy years after Barth's challenge it has made its peace with the view that it is a church denomination. Accepting Barth's challenge to the churches, and in dialogue with his own ecumenical ecclesiology, the concept of the church as an Army is interrogated, in service to The Salvation Army's developing understanding of its identity, and to the visible unity of God's church.

John Zizioulas is widely recognised as the most significant Orthodox theologian of the last half century and acclaimed advocate of ecumenism. From his indepth knowledge of the intellectual resources of the Church, Zizioulas has argued that the Church Fathers represent a profound account of freedom and community that represents a radical challenge to modern accounts of the person. Zizioulas uses the work of the Fathers to make an important distinction between the person, who is defined by a community, and the individual who defines himself in isolation from others, and who sees community as a threat to his freedom. Zizioulas argues that God is the origin of freedom and community, and that the Christian Church is the place in which the person and freedom come into being. This volume offers a critical appraisal of the theology of John Zizioulas. Leading Anglican, Reformed, Catholic and Orthodox international scholars, including Colin Gunton, Nicholas Loudovikos, Paul McPartlan, Wolfhart Pannenberg and Philip Rosato present essays which analyse Zizioulas' trinitarian doctrine of God, and his theological account of the Church as the place in which freedom and communion are actualised. Many include discussions of Zizioulas' Being as Communion as well as other lesser known works, now available in Communion and Otherness. Together they represent an unrivalled introduction to the work of this great theologian.

This classic one-volume reference work is now substantially expanded and revised to focus on a variety of theological themes, thinkers and movements. From African Christian Theology to Zionism, this volume of historical and systematic theology offers a wealth of information and insight for students, pastors and all thoughtful Christians.

In this study, Teun van der Leer tells the story of the Believers’ Church Tradition, a tradition, mainly rooted in the so-called Radical Reformation, which prefers to be called a movement, or rather a renewal movement. Its name is a program, a vision, and a way of being church. Based on extensive source research, this book describes and analyzes the defining characteristics of this so-called “third type of church” and investigates its ecumenical value. With an extensive description of its nature of faith, the church, hermeneutical discernment, and mission, this book colors a movement within the church landscape that has never been mapped in such detail before. As such, the book provides an in-depth introduction to this ecumenically important but still a bit underexposed movement and makes a substantial contribution to the ecumenical ecclesiological debate about the church and its future.

This historical dictionary covers the major trends in the 20th century ecumenical movement until today. It deals with developments in the realms of church unity, mission and evangelism, laity, women in church and society, and many other ecumenical subjects. It also covers many programs and activities of the World Council of Churches since its inception in 1948. The longer articles survey important theological themes while short articles provide quick reference on a precise question. The bibliography is not exhaustive-some 50,000 titles have been published since the beginning of this century-but very helpful for major bibliographical information. The dictionary is particularly strong in American subjects and includes a great number of ecuminical personalities which cannot be found in other reference works. This publication is not only an indispensible tool of research for university and seminary libraries but also for individual persons belonging to whatever Christian church who are interested in knowing more about reflections, relations, and activities in the several regions of the ecumenical world. A helpful description of the most important ecumenical assemblies and conferences is provided. To take stock of the past, to interpret the present, and to look forward into the third millenium of Christian existence are exciting and challenging enterprises.

Between 1961 and 1989 in East Germany, the Cold War border was crossed through the "Berlin Fellowship," an ecumenical visitation program. Under the watchful eye of East Germany's security police, the Stasi, East German Christians welcomed guests from the US into their congregations and homes for an hour, an evening, or a weekend of discussion, shared meals, and worship. The voice of 'the other' through Eastern recollections and perspectives on this unique form of koinonia reveal how fellowship can be missional and transformative. This book examines the intercultural history of the Berlin Fellowship during the Cold War. (Series: ContactZone. Explorations in Intercultural Theology - Vol. 14)