One of the worst evils in the Church is the division among Christians, says Cardinal Walter Kasper.The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity said this on Monday at a press conference to present an ecumenical meeting. That meeting, which ended today, reflected on the topic of spiritual and charitable ecumenism in view of the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly.
The cardinal explained that at least "there is awareness that the division of Christians is a world scandal." "Though the theological differences are evident," he said, there are "great points in common, such as baptism."
The 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly is a four-stage event which began in January 2006 and culminates in Romania next September.
Last week, the third stage of the assembly was held in Wittenberg, Germany.
Conferences from Protestant and Catholic leaders were addressed to some 150 delegates gathered there. Cardinal Kasper explained that ecumenism is a "process to unite the Church" and it means "a rapprochement of the Churches which are separated but united in the sense that they are all Christian." "The debate is not between types of Christians but between believers and nonbelievers," he added.
Closer to the people the cardinal explained that "ecumenism is not only for those in the know and for theologians." Rather, he said, "the dicastery of Rome tries to bring the Church closer to the people under the pretext that ecumenism is the true heart of the Church."
He also stressed that "ecumenism is not the fusion of different enterprises but a gift of the Holy Spirit." The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity described ecumenism as "the true path of the Church of the future."
He added that ecumenism calls for conversion, since "there is no ecumenism without interior reform." Finally, "spirituality is not possible without theology and theological dialogue," noted Cardinal Kasper.
He clarified that it does not consist of "something of an interior or private nature but something that is born and projected to society."
Despite Great Progress, Ecumenical Dialogue Still Stalled, Says Cardinal Kasper
At the same time that he acknowledged "very encouraging progress" in the area of ecumenism- especially in dialogue with the Orthodox Churches - the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Cardinal Walter Kasper, said this week in Barcelona that "dialogue has stalled in some way," as "we have now arrived at the firm core of our ecclesiological differences."
The cardinal made his comments during the inauguration of an ecumenical celebration organized by the Archdiocese of Barcelona and Opus Dei, as part of the preparations for the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly which will take place in Romania in September.
Cardinal Kasper stressed that during the last four decades, “ecumenical dialogue has made great strides” and has allowed for “substantial coming together on various issues, and in some cases, the reaching of a consensus.”
He cited as recent examples Pope Benedict XVI’s visit with the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, and the visit to Rome by the Archbishop of Athens.
“Despite this encouraging progress,” he said, “we cannot deny that, beyond the unique and normal difficulties that are a part of life, dialogue has in some way become stalled, although talks and meetings, visits and correspondence have not ceased.”
In referring to the causes of this situation, Cardinal Kasper said, “After having overcome many misunderstandings and having reached a fundamental consensus,” now “we have now arrived at the hard core of our ecclesiological differences.”
The primary purpose of ecumenical dialogue, he went on, “is not to induce others to convert to our Church, but rather the conversion of all to Christ,” and therefore, “the transition has been made from arguing to dialogue.”
Cardinal Kasper encouraged the seeking of not only an “institutional” but a “spiritual” ecumenism, centered not on theological dialogues but on “common ecumenical prayer, personal conversion and institutional reform, penance and the striving for personal sanctification.”
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