Third, as we seek to overcome tensions between North and South, we must also be converted to a new sense of unity joining the East and West. Athens is one of the most honoured cities of eastern Christianity, and our conference has received the gift of a cross from the churches of Jerusalem as a sign of fellowship and solidarity. As we become aware of new manifestations of the Spirit in unaccustomed regions of the world, we must not allow ourselves to become detached from the truth, tradition and theology of historic communities that have faithfully served God for 2,000 years. The World Council of Churches has begun to deepen its fellowship through a dialogue concerning the meaning of Orthodox participation in the WCC, and we hope to continue this process of healing and reconciliation as we examine questions of mission in light of the renewal of our ecclesial relationships.
Healing, Reconciliation and Peace
The call to mission requires us to look beyond our own communities for the sake of the whole world. In the week ahead, we have the opportunity to ponder what healing and reconciliation mean within the context of the world surrounding us.
The secular world, like the church, is no stranger to division. Some world leaders seem adept at manipulating religious identities for narrow nationalistic and economic ends. I think of religiously fuelled racism, culture wars and the clash of civilizations. Politicians are not solely to blame – there are too many exponents of particular religions who intentionally discount people of different beliefs and encourage aggressive behaviour towards them. Such "identity politics" prepare the ground for sowing seeds of conflict, civil unrest and war.
We are meeting at the mid-point of the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence, an initiative by the churches and their ecumenical partners to teach the ways that make for peace. I encourage this mission conference, focusing on a theme of healing and reconciliation, to highlight peace and non-violence as gospel imperatives. In Christ, God is revealed as a healer who offers reconciliation and forgiveness as gifts of pure grace. We are called to discipleship in Christ’s way: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." Unfortunately this remains a counter-cultural message, no matter where we find ourselves. Communities that are true to Christ are called to make clear that their identity provides ground for cooperation, dialogue and respect, for Jesus assured us that it is the peacemakers who are blessed. If humanity is to live more peacefully in a more just world, Christianity as well as other religions must announce their refusal to be used as pawns on a political chessboard.
So perhaps the time has come for confession, and repentance. This is a mission conference. "Mission" carries heavy historical baggage, having played a part in fostering division and conflict – between peoples, and even between families of churches. Let us acknowledge that there is often a risk of being disrespectful of others and their traditions when one is highly motivated to promote and defend a significant cause and message. There have been times when we Christians have been insensitive to others, and worse, both outside the churches and within them. For this we are truly sorry.
But even when Christians are performing at our best, the prophetic dimension of the gospel is likely to cause offence. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ, as Paul said, and sometimes an ambassador is required to convey an essential message despite its unpopularity. While this is true, it must never be forgotten that the message we bear is ultimately a message of love, not of condemnation.
