Conseil oecuménique des Églises – Reportage
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Pour publication immédiate: 14 mai 2005
Living in community amidst diversity
By Heather Chappell (*)
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Women in brightly coloured saris eat breakfast with bearded men in
flowing black robes. Lutherans compare ideas with Catholics. Orthodox
exchange greetings of peace with Evangelicals. Participants in the
Athens World Mission Conference have experienced the formation of a
peaceful and accepting community.
In a divisive and increasingly violent world, the need for community
is great, and lack of close relationships can lead to intolerance,
discrimination, isolation and fear. The over 650 participants
attending the World Council of Churches 13th Conference on World
Mission and Evangelism have spent a week living out the Christian
call to be in close community with one another, providing a working
example of peace and tolerance.
The sub-theme of the May 9-16 conference, “Called in Christ to be
healing and reconciling communities,” is brought to life in a very
real way. Daily workshops point to peace, trust, love, understanding,
and unity as means of creating healing and reconciliation in today’s
world. Participants from over 100 countries and representing almost
every Christian tradition consider what it means to live in
community, and share stories from within their own particular
backgrounds.
Quiet, intimate spaces
Amidst the busyness of workshops and presentations, there is a need
for more quiet, intimate spaces. Small “home groups” help to
strengthen the feeling of community that encompasses the conference.
“It is important to have this kind of bonding on an individual level
with other participants,” says Paula Devejian, a delegate from the
Holy See of Etchmiadzin (Armenian Apostolic Church).
Each morning, groups come together for Lectio Divina (Latin for
“sacred reading”). These meditative Bible studies are a good way for
delegates to prepare spiritually for the day ahead. Evening meetings
are less structured, and provide an opportunity to reflect and to
share stories and experiences of the day’s events. Group members are
encouraged to share their joys and disappointments in a
non-judgemental and supportive environment.
Ron Wallace, associate secretary of international ministries for The
Presbyterian Church in Canada, finds there to be a good balance of
culture, gender and tradition within his group. He enjoys the
opportunity to discuss world views with those from a variety of
backgrounds and contexts. “In my group there are Catholics,
Protestants and Coptic Orthodox from Europe, North America, and
Africa. Everyone is very open-minded,” he says. “By the second day,
we were comfortable in accepting one another’s diversity, and were
able to discuss our wide variety of perceptions.” Devejian adds that
the bringing together of diverse cultures and denominations through
biblical discussion gives her important insight into the thought
processes and belief systems of others in her group.
The church is like a prism
Participants, who have seen their home groups evolve into small
communities, can take their experience back to their own churches and
apply it to small group meetings within their own contexts.
Home group leader Fleur Dorrell, a Catholic working for the Church of
England and a member of the Anglican Communion’s lay organization
Mothers’ Union, feels that home groups facilitate the act of
listening to one another, ensuring that the unique voice of each
person is both expressed and heard.
“The church is like a prism,” she says. “Each colour represents a
different expression of faith. The beauty is in reflecting as many
colours as possible.” She goes on to say, “None of us understands God
perfectly on our own. We need each other to help us understand and
nourish our own faith.”
In just one week, conference participants have come together in
community, creating a space where cultural, denominational, and
spiritual differences unite rather than divide. In this way, they
provide an important model to churches world-wide, and confirm that
it is possible to live together as one people – a diverse family
centred in the community of God’s love. [682 words]
(*) Heather Chappell is a writer from Toronto, Ontario. She works as
programme assistant for The Presbyterian Church in Canada in the
areas of stewardship and mission education.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress