Churches Asked to Affirm WCC Agreement
Episcopal News Service. February 4, 1982 [82024]
LIMA, Peru (DPS, Feb. 4) -- In an unprecedented action, the world's churches are being asked the extent to which they can affirm contemporary ecumenical, theological agreement on baptism, eucharist, and ministry (BEM).
With a unanimous vote and a round of applause, nearly 100 theologians of the World Council of Churches faith and order commission, meeting here Jan. 3-15, asked for churches' "official response, at a level carrying authority, taking positions and presenting comments" on what is being called the "Lima test" or "BEM."
The Rev. J. Robert Wright, professor of Church history at New York's General Theological Seminary, represented the Episcopal Church.
There was wide-ranging praise for the 16,000-word text from commission theologians. Vice moderator.lean Tillard (Canada, Roman Catholic) called it a "framework for church union" and "proof that the Holy Spirit is at work." Moderator Nikos Nissiotis (Greece, Eastern Orthodox) prayed after the vote that God would "use this text... to further the unity of his church." World Council faith and order director William Lazareth (US, Lutheran) said it is "difficult to contain our enthusiasm."
Commissioner John Zizioulas (UK, Eastern Orthodox) said BEM reflects convergences "unimaginable only a few years ago." It is not, he added, "a manual of Orthodox dogmatics, but I don't think that is what we are looking for." A member of the commission's BEM core group, Geoffrey Wainwright (UK, Methodist), said the "warm acceptance of the text may just be because it expresses the Christian faith.
Some, however, cautioned that Baptist and some Reformed denominations might find it more difficult than many to embrace all the convergences BEM presents.
With regard to baptism, the statement recognizes that there are two traditional concepts -- baptism in infancy and believer's baptism of those mature enough to profess faith for themselves. The text urges churches "whenever possible to explicitly mutually recognize baptisms performed under the others' auspices."
The text calls "Christ's mode of presence in the eucharist... unique," and says the Church "confesses Christ's real living and active presence in the eucharist." Noting continuing differences on the degree to which that presence is linked to the consecrated bread and wine of the sacramental meal, the text says "the decision remains for the churches whether this difference can be accommodated within the convergence formulated" in it.
If the principles are endorsed, the eucharist or communion would probably be encouraged for weekly celebrations and ordained ministers would be supervised by bishops. There would be a mutual recognition of ministries and Church members would be able to commune freely at one another's altars or communion tables.
Wainwright said neither communions nor theologians working separately would have produced the text as it stands, and "that is precisely the point." The commission resolution does not say those voting for, approve BEM in every detail or as a sufficient or full exposition of the Christian faith on the three subjects.
But, Wainwright said, the favorable transmission vote reflects wide-spread ecumenical scholarly convergence within and beyond the commission. Traditions represented on the commission include Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, United, Baptist, Methodist, Disciples, and Adventist.