In One Body Through the Cross

by Carl E. Braaten, Robert W. Jenson

Overview

The Princeton Proposal is a landmark statement on the present situation and future possibilities of modern ecumenism. Drafted by sixteen theologians and ecumenists from various church traditions, who met over a period of three years in Princeton, New Jersey, this document seeks to steer contemporary efforts at church unity away from social and political agendas, which are themselves divisive, and back to the chief goal of the modern ecumenical movement — the visible unity of Christians worldwide, of all those who are reconciled “in one body through the cross.”

Since the study group that produced this statement was instituted and its participants were chosen by an independent ecumenical foundation, the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, their “unofficial” work presents especially profound and creative reflection on the ecumenical task. With this report the study group members do not claim to speak for their churches, but hope to speak to all the churches out of shared concern for the founding ecumenical imperative “that they all may be one . . . so that the world may believe.”
 

Signatories of the Princeton Proposal:

William Abraham * Mark Achtemeier * Brian Daley * John H. Erickson * Vigen Guroian * George Lindbeck * Lois Malcolm * Bruce McCormack * R. R. Reno * Michael Root * William G. Rusch * Geoffrey Wainwright * Susan K. Wood * Telford Work * J. Robert Wright * David Yeago

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802822987
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	02/21/2003
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

Carl E. Braaten is professor emeritus of systematic theology at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and former executive director of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology.


Robert W. Jenson is senior scholar for research at theCenter of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. Heis also cofounder and associate director of the Center forCatholic and Evangelical Theology and cofounder andcoeditor of Pro Ecclesia. Among his many other booksis the two-volume Systematic Theology (Oxford).

Read an Excerpt

In One Body through the Cross

The Princeton Proposal for Christian Unity

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Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Copyright © 2003 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0-8028-2298-3

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Chapter One

To the Churches of North America, Judicatories, Ecumenical Agencies, Ecumenical Officers, Laity and Clergy

Dear Colleagues:

The following document is the work of sixteen theologians and ecumenists, gathered from across the ecumene, who met for three years at Princeton, New Jersey, to consider what may be called the ecclesiology of ecumenism. In its form, the project was modeled on the Groupe des Dombes, founded in 1937, which pioneered many of the insights and formulations that enabled the successes of the post-Vatican II dialogues. The members of the Groupe des Dombes were not appointed by their Catholic, Reformed and Lutheran churches, and did not attempt to speak for them. Similarly the Princeton group was instituted and its members were chosen by an independent ecumenical foundation, the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. The unofficial character of the Princeton Project provided members freedom to reflect creatively on the present situation and future possibilities of modern ecumenism. With this report, they do not claim to speak for their churches, but hope to speak to all the churches, out of shared concern for the founding ecumenical imperative "that they all may be one ... so that the world may believe" (John 17:21).

TheCenter for Catholic and Evangelical Theology called the group together following consultations which showed wide consensus that both the ecumenical movement itself and the churches' commitment to it were stalled in place. "Reception" by the churches of consensus achieved in dialogues is even more difficult than expected. Some key points of division have proven unexpectedly stubborn. The institutions of conciliar ecumenism are largely captive to a "new ecumenical paradigm" which subordinates the concern of the "faith and order" movement, for the visible unity of Christians, to social and political agendas which are themselves divisive. The wisdom of the first general secretary of the World Council of Churches, Willem Visser 't Hooft, "The World Council of Churches is either a christocentric movement or it is nothing at all," now carries little weight. Perhaps most distressing, the churches that once principally carried the movement have turned their energies to other matters, often to their own internal divisions.

It is not that modern ecumenism has not achieved much, more than could once have been dreamt of. The bilateral dialogues have created a remarkable body of creative and ecumenically shared theology; particularly the "communion ecclesiology" is influential in many churches' thinking. Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry, produced by the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council, achieved unheard-of consensus by rooting itself in the apostolic tradition, and has been widely studied. The signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification by the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation "consigned to oblivion" the mutual condemnations of the Reformation era. There have even been actual restorations of fellowship between separated churches. But the great divisions remain, and few see a way forward.

We will not in this preface further preempt the document. We say only that we fully approve the results to which the consultation has in fact come.

For the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology

Carl E. Braaten Executive Director

Robert W. Jenson Associate Director

(Continues...)

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