Articles

Longing for unity

At what point are we on our ecumenical journey?

October 11 marks the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. Among many other topics of pivotal importance, the council also addressed the scandal of Christian division, which “openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the holy cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature” (Unitatis redintegratio). The council called on Catholics and, indeed, all Christians to take John 17:21, “May they all be one,” to heart. For many, ecumenism becomes tangible during the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. But has activity slowed down in the last few years? Do we need a fresh approach to building relationships among different denominations? In this issue we show how efforts at the foundations provide significant impetus. This is also the theme of the Grassroots Ecumenism Summit that Living City as part of Focolare Media sponsors on October 1, with the aim of rekindling our commitment to Christian unity.