Ecumenism

The word ecumenism is, for a more precise distinction of ecumenism in general, in official church documents of the Roman Catholic Church refers to the mutual effort of the major Christian denominations to recover the visible unity of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Among the pioneers in Germany was particularly Max Josef Metzger, ( " the one, holy (church) " ) initiated the movement Una Sancta. In the time of Pope Pius XI. in the encyclical Mortalium animos (1928 ) warned ahead of a false " irenic " and the Roman Catholic Christians forbade the participation in the meetings of the early ecumenical movement, were also Alfons Beil, John Pinsk, Max Pribilla and Paul Couturier further pioneer of understanding with other faith communities.

From a Roman Catholic point of view, the Catholic Church, in its concrete, legally established figure itself is already identical to the ecumenical movement, as they all over the world real -present Church of Christ embodies the meaning of the Greek word " Oikumene ". Therefore, the Catholic Bishops' meetings, which constitute with and under the Pope, the highest teaching authority, in its parlance as Ecumenical Councils ( to some church union in contrast, called Particular Councils ) are called.

The Roman Catholic Church in 1964 set out in the Decree Unitatis redintegratio the Second Vatican Council, the " Catholic principles of ecumenism " (Section I) and the " practical realization of ecumenism ". Since then she talks to other confessions a full or partial participation in the authentic Church of Christ from no longer categorically. In the Catholic sense the full ecclesial sets but in particular: 1 ) the existence of the episcopate in apostolic succession and 2 ) the consecrated by bishops and priests in the community of believers valid Eucharist celebrated ahead, as it is given in the Eastern Churches.

Denominations, lacking these characteristics are referred to by the Vatican in official documents ( eg in Dominus Iesus, 2000) as " ecclesial communities." This is especially true for the evangelical churches that structured in the Reformation without the historic episcopate or where the full apostolicity was lost because of the separation from the papacy by the Roman Catholic view.

In pastoral speech, of the Reformed confessions has in the countries affected by the schism of the West, but as "churches" as well enforced as the word " ecumenism" for ecumenism. Furthermore, in active use is " ecumenism ", however, in the orthodoxy.