Ecumenical Movement

[Queen Esther]

Well what you run into is when it gets past worshipping, when you get down to paying the bills. Being involved in ministry for more than half of my life. Even in churches that believe and worship the same are divided when it comes to issues.
Who would deliver the message? What would we focus on more? Overseas Missions, or Hometown missions? Would we have committees run everything, or the pastor being the head of the Church?
I think that something like this would divide the already divided body of Christ.

[HaveFaith2005]

I'm not sure about it.

[JohnSolo]

Originally Posted by Rigorous Truth

No, ecumenism is wrong. All denominations are not equal. Joining an ecumenical movement comprimises yourself to other denominations beliefs, which include idolatry, and other false doctrines. This means if you were protestant, you would have to comprimise yourself with the worship of the Mary Goddess, and a wafer as God. This also means that if you are not a mormon, you would comprimise yourself with believing that the book of Mormon is truth, and that you would allow their "angel" Moroni to be worshipped in front of you and you would have to wink at them, because, after all, all is one right? Wrong. But thats what the ecumenical movement teaches.

The ecumenical movement is the same movement that tries to unite all religions together with Christianity. This inludes Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. These are very violent and dangerous religions. Just recently little children were ripped apart and mutilated by Hindus who attempted to appease their demonic Goddess Kali.

Wonderful, huh?

If you have any sense or any base research in denominations and religions, stay as far away from this movement as possible, and stick to Bible-based, Bible-centered, nondenominational Christianity. It's the only way to salvation. There is no other way. Not by angels, or wafer-Gods, or Mary, or Moroni, or Kali, or Shiva, or Buddha, or Maitreya (remember that name), or any other God or doctrine. Only through Jesus Christ. Remember, the road to salvation is narrow.
[/i]

Don't be so narrow minded, ecuminism in no way seeks to unite other religions with Christianity. If your so afraid of being defiled by beliefs other than your own why are you even conversing on a forum with me and other catholics/christians who would have slight theological differences to you?
That story about hindus is very sad but really has nothing to do with ecuminism.
As I mentioned earlier... and if you bothered to read the article I pasted a link to on ecuminism, you would notice that the whole movement encourages that you know and understand your own beliefs and actually believe them, not to convert/belittle eachother to other beliefs.

In an ecumenical approach, each Church/Fellowship/ Denomination advocates an approach that is:
1. Supportive in encouraging each other to be well grounded in our own respective beliefs. (i.e.: A Catholic will know more fully what he/she believes; A Protestant will know more fully what he/she believes, etc.. For, unless we are well formed in our own respective beliefs, then there is not the openness to allow the Holy Spirit to build bonds of unity between us).
2.Supportive of (while not necessarily agreeing with) each other’s Christian Beliefs
3Supportive of those present in their involvement in the ecumenical endeavour. (i.e.: We come together to share our different beliefs/doctrines and expect others to listen and learn about us, but not necessarily agree with us. For example: Share the Holy Spirit Conferences in Sydney, which serve to improve and build bridges of understanding between Churches Fellowships/Denominations by allowing Messianic Jews, Orthodox, Catholics,
Protestants, Pentecostal speakers teach and share on beliefs and perspectives that each has on the fundamental Christian beliefs that we hold in common.)

Origins of ecuminism
The ecumenical movement as it exists today owes its origin to a conference of Protestant missionaries at Edinburgh in 1910. Its original purpose was among Protestant missionaries of different denominations to promote a spirit of collaboration in order to "evangelise" the pagan world. Doctrinal differences were to be played down... unity of action and what was held in common by all was to be exalted.


You also mentioned mormons who are not part of this movement either as they are seen as a cult by most denominations of Christianity and therefore would not be accepted. I am yet to see a mormon participating in any ecumenical movements.

[Queen Esther]

So how do they deal with the issues I've brought up?? Who preaches, who leads etc..??? I don't agree with it totally, I think it's a good thought, but very unrealistic.

[w.e.g.]

nobody really leads it, it is a council sort of thing.

and it helps to have a united church ( one that at least seems that way) working together to go to the government or to a city to get something accomplished that would otherwise be too demanding for an individual church. also it shows those in political power the number of people backing the idea

[PureOxygen]

Ok, so I was right... it's like Christian relativism. "We can disagree and both be right." Now of course, there are some minor things that that is true, scripture says so... but on bigger things, I think the Ecumenism idea isn't so hot.

[Queen Esther]

They will only put the small problems on the backburner, and then it will blow up in their face and create more rifts.

[Rigorous Truth]

Originally Posted by JohnSolo

Don't be so narrow minded, ecuminism in no way seeks to unite other religions with Christianity. If your so afraid of being defiled by beliefs other than your own why are you even conversing on a forum with me and other catholics/christians who would have slight theological differences to you?
That story about hindus is very sad but really has nothing to do with ecuminism.
As I mentioned earlier... and if you bothered to read the article I pasted a link to on ecuminism, you would notice that the whole movement encourages that you know and understand your own beliefs and actually believe them, not to convert/belittle eachother to other beliefs.

In an ecumenical approach, each Church/Fellowship/ Denomination advocates an approach that is:
1. Supportive in encouraging each other to be well grounded in our own respective beliefs. (i.e.: A Catholic will know more fully what he/she believes; A Protestant will know more fully what he/she believes, etc.. For, unless we are well formed in our own respective beliefs, then there is not the openness to allow the Holy Spirit to build bonds of unity between us).
2.Supportive of (while not necessarily agreeing with) each other’s Christian Beliefs
3Supportive of those present in their involvement in the ecumenical endeavour. (i.e.: We come together to share our different beliefs/doctrines and expect others to listen and learn about us, but not necessarily agree with us. For example: Share the Holy Spirit Conferences in Sydney, which serve to improve and build bridges of understanding between Churches Fellowships/Denominations by allowing Messianic Jews, Orthodox, Catholics,
Protestants, Pentecostal speakers teach and share on beliefs and perspectives that each has on the fundamental Christian beliefs that we hold in common.)

Origins of ecuminism
The ecumenical movement as it exists today owes its origin to a conference of Protestant missionaries at Edinburgh in 1910. Its original purpose was among Protestant missionaries of different denominations to promote a spirit of collaboration in order to "evangelise" the pagan world. Doctrinal differences were to be played down... unity of action and what was held in common by all was to be exalted.


You also mentioned mormons who are not part of this movement either as they are seen as a cult by most denominations of Christianity and therefore would not be accepted. I am yet to see a mormon participating in any ecumenical movements.

I post these messages on this forum, because I'm trying to turn people away from these false beliefs. How would I, being a protestant, benefit from compromising myself to catholic beliefs? I am supposed to share the truth with catholics, but not adopt their beliefs. I understand your beliefs (since I am after all an apologist) and I can tell you that they are wrong.

And another thing, ecumenicism most certainly is not limited to only "christian" denominations. It is also linked with religions around the world. Modern ecumenicism was constructed to bring everyone under a One-religion system. Ecumenicism is wrong, plain and simple. Ecumenicism today is different from the ecumenicsim your mentioned, since the denominations you mentioned were all protestant.

[JohnSolo]

Originally Posted by Queen Esther

So how do they deal with the issues I've brought up?? Who preaches, who leads etc..??? I don't agree with it totally, I think it's a good thought, but very unrealistic.

John 17:20-21 ‘I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me’.
I guess Jesus was just wasting his breath here then making unrealistic wishes.
A preacher preaches, a band leads worship, it is just general praise and worship and sitting through a teaching. The content of these is 'christian' and does not go into the slight differing theological beliefs of all who might be present. Focus on what we have in common rather than what we don't.

[Queen Esther]

Unity yes, but like I said, this idea would create more of a rift in the body of Christ. Compromising my beliefs with catholics, orthodox, and others whom I don't believe the same way I do.

What we would end up having in common is our hate for the other person who doesn't believe the same way we do. There's a way for unity, but with the way we the church are today. This is totally unrealistic and wrong in my eyes.