ECUMINICAL MOVEMENT

The aim of study is to examine the historical development of the ecumenical movement in global
Christianity. It will trace its origin, growth and development by identifying changes, key themes,
ideologies, persons and institutions. By exploring such significant aspects of contemporary
ecumenism as co-operation for world evangelization, unity and conciliarity, relationship with
people of other faiths to contextual issues of justice, peace, integrity of creation or liberation of
the marginalized sections in the society are examined.

Two reasons are in order. First, a study of the history of the ecumenical movement may bring
about a sense of respect. India is Asia’s famous multi cultural country. It is a home to different
religions a variety of linguistic groups numerous ethnic identities, different social norms and
diverse geographical locations.

The second vibrant reason for this investigation is that there is a need for developing an
introductory textbook on the ecumenical movement for theological degrees the senate of
Serampore college and Asia Theological Association, have divergent theological orientations but
nevertheless share a common awareness of the importance of studying the ecumenical movement
at both the graduate (B.D/M. Div.) and post-graduate levels. This subject has been studied at
various degree levels for many years.

This is a study of a history of the ecumenical movement but it is not a history of Christianity. A
history of the ecumenical movement is an integral part of the history of Christianity.

A SURVEY OF CHRISTIANITY TILL THE 17th CENTURY

Ecumenical movement: what it is and what it does
Therise of the pietistic Movement, Evangelical Awakening, Evangelical Alliance, students’
Movements and Mission societies in the 17th and well up to the 19th centuries had produced
meaningful ecumenical awareness and cooperation, but in apparently no publication or
movement during that period did one ever use the word.

It was in the 20th century that the word ‘ecumenical movement’ was most widely used in
ecclesiastical circles, theological institutions and publications alike. Its definition may well be
understood when it is seen together in its overall involvement. In other words the question of
what the ecumenical movement is can be explained more when it is examined from a broad
spectrum of what it does and may be stated as under:

Division and unity in the church

1. Unity and division in the Apoerelic Times
Jesus Christ is the foundation and builder of the church (Mt: 16:18). He builds her on faith his
disciples were the nucleus of the first community of faith. The church developed into a
fellowship over a period of time. By the middle of the first century the Roman world could
realize the presence of a growing new community-a community whose members were
contemptuously called “Christians”. It was an inclusive movement that included both Jews and
non-Jews but maintained an exclusive faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God (Acts4: 12). The Jews

1
affirmed their faith in Him as the messiah and the Genesis too after surrendering themselves to
Jesus Christ stopping idols.

Division in the New Testament community:

The Lord established one church his followers were one people. Their movement was
characterized by the faith in Jesus Christ a fellowship of worship love and sharing. However
signs of division were not far off. Personal misunderstandings appeared to have been the first
sign of any development that subsequently led to division. For instance Fuodias and syntyche at
a church in Philippi (phi 4:12) supporters of Paul Cephas and Apollos were divided on personal
grounds (I cor.3:3-4) Diotrephes too who claimed higher ecclesiastical leadership over other
members eventually divided the church (3John).These problems were however localized in
nature and did not seem to have much threat to the unity of the church as a whole. The Apostles
attended to all these problems addressed the respective churches gave words of advice
instruction and direction to each individual and called them back to the fellowship of love
understanding unity.

2.Gnosticism and Marcionism:

Gnostic teachings and Marcionism were movements that posed a serious threat to the unity and
integrity of a Christian church. Gnosticism was a system of belief based in knowledge (Greek
gnosis meaning knowledge) that sought to combine together teachings from different religions.
Its origin could have been traced as early as to the later period of the New Testament times but
its influence was overwhelming significant in the second century and after. The Gnostics taught
that the material world is evil. They did not believe in Christ’s incarnation. Their explanation of
his appearance was as docetic and ghostly or as a temporary indwelling of the man Jesus or even
as an apparent births from Mary the virgin mother without partaking of a material nature. They
also regarded the Old Testament God as inferior who committed a great mistake when he came
to make human beings. Such teachings ran contrary to the faith of the church.

Arianism and the council of Nicaea,325:

Macedonius was the Bishop of Constantinople (341-360). He taught that the Holy Spirit did not
exist from eternity but was a created being. He believed that the status of the Holy Spirit was on
the level of the angels. In other words the third person of the Trinity was subordinate to the
Father and the son. The church through Basil the Great (c.330-379) responded to Macedonianism
by upholding the authentic teaching that the Holy Spirit was the third person of the triune God
who was coequals and co-eternal with the father and the son. And at the council of
Constantinople in 381,Macedonianism was condemned.

The council of Constantinople, 381had also condemned Apollinarianism. Apollinarius a Bishop

of Laodicea, who belonged to the Alexandrian school, emphasized Christ’s divinity. He believed
that the union of Logos, which had replaced Christ’s spirit and the human body, produced a
divine personality. Such one sided definition of Christology was in the eyes of the church
incomplete or heretical and deserved condemnation in order to protect the unity and integrity of
the church.

2
Nestorianism and the council of Ephesus ,431:
As we have indicated earlier cultural background served as an important factor for the council’s
decisions upon the accusation that mysteries Christological teaching laid more emphasis on the
human nature the council to Ephesus in 431 condemned Nestorianism and deposed Mysterious to
exile in Egypt.

Eutychianism and the council of chalcedon 451:

Eutychianism was another heretical teaching at which the church could not sit idle. Its proponent
Eutyches was convinced that after the incarnation Christ’s two natures wore completely fused
together into one divine nature alone. He denied Chalcedon 451 took serious fate of
Eutychianism and condemned it outright. It also re-affirmed the condemnations of all heretical
teachings and brought out a definition, which stated that Christ says truly God, and truly man
having two natures without confusion without change without division without separation

West and east-The great schism of 1054

The seed of division that was deeply sowed in the culture of the people became pervasive in the
thinking of the church right from the early period. It became more evident once the church
secured imperial favour and protection Greek and Latin speaking churches were always in the
stand off. As already noted earlier differences in political organization and ecclesiastical
traditions and theological controversies that erupted since the 5th century had created an

Unbridgeable gulf between the east and the west. The western church claimed itself to be more
legitimate and superior to churches in the east but never acknowledged so by the patriarchs of the
East .the chasm became deeper that finally led to a complete separation.

Division in the west

The church is not just an institution but also a movement. It grows spontaneously and spreads far
and wide. The middle ages witnessed independent movements like the Albigenses or the Cathari
and those around pre-reformation individuals like John Wycliffe, John Huss and Giralmo
Savonarola. Though these movements had gone far beyond the constitutional boundary of the
established church, they were by no means heretical as they sought meaning for the faith on the
authority of the word of God. The church made concerted efforts to suppress these movements
and teaching by force and violence.

Developments in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe

The sixteenth century Reformation unleashed another kind of Christian movement that became
decisive for subsequent developments not only in Europe but also across the world. Division
became inevitable. The emergence of independent nations and nationalism before the rise of the
Reformation had already threatened to break the Medieval Europe. Reform movements like the
Lutheran the Zwinglian the Calvinist the Anglican and others went side by side with the growing
national inclination. Though these movements were similar in experiences and visions and
worked for their own interests.

Disunity among various protestant groups:

Differences in political organization acted as significant underlying factors for fragmented
reform movements in the sixteenth century. Before the outbreak of the Reformation several

3
countries like France, England, Switzerland and a pain had become autonomous nations and
principalities in Germany ere able to conduct themselves as independent states. Although
Luther’s dynamic reforms had a tremendous impact on Germany its influence was felt all over
Zwinngli’s Swiss movement was at least not a part of the Lutheran movement between 1520 and
1555 Germany and swrzerland were in some divergent terms on the issues of the reformation. As
a consequence of the rapid rise of independent nations the concept of political unity was seen
from the perspective of a particular nation and corresponding the unity of the church tended to be
conceived in national terms. Even the confessions of faith that affirmed the universality of the
church were basically national confessions

Some efforts for the restoration of unity:

Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536) was the founder of the ironical tradition, which
remained in the heritages of both the catholic and the Protestant traditions for many generations
after his death. Out of his personal responsibility and interest, Erasmus tried to bring peace
among the movements that were outside the Catholic Church. He advised the Utraqists to give up
their sacramental peculiarity in the interest of church unity and urged the Brethren of Common
Lot to seek unity with the Catholic Church. In neither case did he condemn them as erroneous.

East and Protestant West Relationship:

We have briefly described certain developments in the relationship between the West and East
that led to the Great Schism in 1054. From that time on, both traditions existed in separation
from each other. The sixteenth century reformation took place in the West and not in the East.
However, the Protestant teachings had become so pervasive that in due course they made rapid
spread of countries with a majority of Orthodox population.

Interdenominational Experience in India

Interaction in Historico-Culture background:
India history is replete with change –changes in demography, geography and ethnography.
Dravidians, dalits and tribal were the indigenous citizens of the country. They lived side by side
with mutual understanding and respect. They had developed their own political system, social
norms and religious. While a gender distinction could have prevailed among the people in the
ancient period, their society was in many ways egalitarian and hardly one witnessed elements of
caste distinction, untouchability or discrimination in it. These people could have come across
several changes in their life and occupation but in on other period had they come across major
changes than during and after he advent of Aryan stock.

Inter church relation: First Experience

Christian missionaries who came to India in the 16th century adopted a similar attitude, and
influenced the volatile Syrian Christians of India. Two traditions, the Malabar and the
Coramandel, which are so strong among the people in Kerala and Taminad tell us that
Christianity in India had its origin in the first century through the labour of Christ’s doubting
disciple, St. Thomas.

Inter church Relation: Second Experience

The Syrians of Malabar faced another similar experience with the Anglican Communion in the
early 19th century. Although it may not look appropriate to deal here with this 19 th century

4
development under the section of the pre-eighteen century chapter, nevertheless in so far as there
are similarities in attitude, happenings and ecclesiastical consequences, such venture will not
stave off the logical sequence and coherence of arguments of the book.

Ecumenical development in mission perspectives from the 18th century to 1910

Protestantism was a religion that had come out of a certain degree of common objective, but
produced divergent understanding on certain doctrinal issues, ecclesiastical structure and
movement that subsequently led to the rise of independent traditions. In other words the
protestant reformation did not bring out a sense of an ecumenical movement. The reformers had
not espoused ecumenical ideas in their outlook and thinking. They were also not missionary
minded. This lacuna may well be attributed to several factors. First protestant leaders adhered to
their theological stance and identified their stand along national interests. Second reformers had
just come out in total denial of the Roman Catholic Church and were preoccupied in their
internal concerns for existence. Third Protestantism was indifferent to the fragmented
programmes of reforming the church and was neither prepared to forego differences nor to forge
the church and was neither prepared to forego differences nor to forge a united alliance. Fourth
religious wars had prevented normal thinking and movement and leaders had little occasion to
reflect upon other traditions.

A sense of unity in the pietistic movement

Pietism was a religious and spiritual movement that emerged in response to moral degradation
low spirituality and fragmented Christianity. Though its origin was traced to the development
among members of the reformed tradition in Holland its major influence came from the German
pietistic movement.

Spirituality in unity
Members and friends who associated with the pietistic movement shared theological teachings
and experiences in common repentance regeneration holiness bible centered teaching prayer and
fasting were all common features that brought all of them to a sense of unity.

Promotion of cross-denominational relations

Church but a movement. It adopted a broad-based inclusive attitude and embraced members
irrespective of creed race or nationality. For instance spener’s collegia pietatis extended its
invitation to both ordained ministers and lay people: franke’s schools and the orphan house
admitted children from all walks of life and treated them equally.

A sense of mission
Another significant by-product of pietism was the growing rise of a sense of mission. Each
member who had experiences salvation. This development is important because the concept of
moderns ecumenism has its origin in serious contemplation of the inter-connection between unity
and world evangelization.
Role of Christian Institutions in cross-Denominational cooperation
The rise of student movements and interdenominational institutions, which permeated
confessional self –enclosed identity tremendously, contributed to the development of modern
ecumenical movement. We will here introduce some of these movements and organization.

5
YMCA and the young women’s Christian association (YWCA)
Founded by George Williams in London in 1844 the US in 1851 .its sister association the young
women’s Christian Association YMCA was also organized in England in 1854 and devoted its
work mainly among women. The YWCA too found immediate response from American women
and subsequently secured its foothold there. Both these movements soon spread to different
region of the world and promoted interdenominational involvement.

The student moments

The YMCA the YWCA and the students movements were closely interrelated movements. They
shared the same Christian conviction and espoused common evangelistic thinking. The
Interseminary missionary alliance was another offshoot of the intercollegiate student movement
that had its first meeting at New Brunswick New Jersey in 1880.Robert matter was among its
pioneers .It fostered missionary interests and action among students in several seminaries in the
US irrespective of denominational affiliations.

Interdenominational societies
The disc of the bible society and the Religious tract society had promoted significant ecumenical
awareness tot only in Euro-North American but also in the whole world. The formation of the
British and Foreign bible society in 1804 was remarkable as it ushered the emergence of the
modern bible society movement. Its spread was so rapid that by 1820 there were societies
organized in many in countries in Asia, Africa North America world. The united bible societies,
which were organized in 1947, included various national bible societies.

Unity in the Rise of the Evangelical Awakening

Like the pietistic movement the rise of the evangelical awakening in Europe and North America
in the 18th centuries contributed towards the creation of ecumenical awareness among most
leaders of protestant churches. Though each country had its own stories to tell about the origin
and development of the Awakening several features in common were deeper than differences in
historical accounts.
In the same way the evangelical awakening did not produce the ecumenical movement but its
belief system and activities carried tremendous ecumenical ideals.

Sharing the same faith

The evangelical wakening paid more emphasis on the transformed life of a person. Knowledge
alone though how significant it was would not have brought about spiritual change unless there
was a change in the inner being. It believed in the supremacy of the Bib le uniqueness of Christ
and holy life ,it imbibed greater concern for missionary outreach.

Moving Towards the same Goal

Another unifying slement among common goal to reach out to people at home and across the
world with the Gospel of salvation. Evangelical leaders shared the same belief that all people on
earth need to be saved by the blood of Christ through repentance and faith. They not only saw
the need but also the urgency of carrying out the work.

6
Modern Missionary Movements
The pietistic movement and evangelical wakening were significant contributing factors for the
emergence of modern missionary movements in the late 18 th century and in the 19th century as
well. We have seen in the previous descriptions that the emphasis of pietistic and evangelical
leaders was on the change of heart. As members who had experienced such spiritual
transformation they joined together in fellowship bible study and all of them shared the same
burden for others salvation. These developments paved the way for the emergence of missionary
movements in Europe and North America.

Missionary conferences in Europe and North America

The Anglo-American conferences were part of several missionary gatherings in Europe and in
the mission fields that said the background for the Edinburgh world missionary conference
1910.so also was the contribution of the student Christian movement. A survey of the Anglo-
American conferences that preceded the Edinburgh 1910is important in order to understand its
ecumenical influence.

The New York Conference, 1854:

The General missionary conference was held in New York on 4 th May 1854.Though this was the
first in the series of meetings it was nevertheless an “accident of circumstance” because the
conference was hurriedly convened at the time of Dr. Alexander Duff’s visit to the US in
1854.Invitations were extended to friends from all churches with evangelical persuasion. The
purpose of the conference was to freely share information among the existing mission societies
but not to set up another missionary organization. The planning committee had prepared a list of
eight questions mostly on the authenticity of carrying out mission activity in the “heathen world”
its need co-operation the importance of holding such general conference and others. Dr. Duff
attended to the questions and based on his personal missionary involvement in Calcutta India
stirred up missionary interests in the US.

The London conference, 1854:

This conference was prepared by the secretaries of the London and Baptist Missionary societies
under the auspices of the British organization of the Evangelical ALLIANCE AND TOOK
PLACE IN London on 12th –13th October 1854.Its representatives were restricted to friends of
missions to people of other faiths. Though the conference did not seem to have received good
responses from mission societies for the fact that there was relatively a low turn out to a two-day
conference nevertheless the meeting was undoubtedly remarkable because of three things. First
the conference underscored the essential unity of evangelical missions mutual sympathy and
practical so-operation for world evangelization. Secondly, it considered the importance of
evangelism and indigenous ministry. Lastly, the discussion was in the biblical basis for the
evangelization of non-Christians. The conference formed a small continuing committee for the
follow-up work.

The Liverpool conference 1860

This meeting was promoted not by the missionary societies but by “a few earnest folk identified
with the Revival of 1858-60,”It met in Liverpool on 19 th –23rd March 1860.Unlike the earlier
conferences this conference witnessed the presence of 126 members fifty two of whom were
directors and administrators of missionary societies thirty seven missionaries and Behari Lal

7
Singh an Indian a native licensed preacher of the Free church of Scotland in Calcutta. The main
discussions during this conference were on recruitment of missionaries, Christian education on
the mission fields the provision of indigenous leadership Christian education on the mission
fields the provision of indigenous leadership Christian giving and encouragement for the
development of native churches. The importance of this conference was that it acted as a
working committee passed resolutions and produced policy recommendations that influenced
board secretaries for years to come.” its position in terms of organizational set up just a platform
of fellowship as in the other Anglo-American conferences. While the basic objective of the
conference was for the promotion and strengthening of mission and evangelism in the non-
western world it however gave emphasis on the development of self-supporting mission
churches. it also considered raising the standard of missionary personnel and missioning
publication something that would differentiate from wonders of low origins or low origins or low
quality Christian publication.

London General conference 1878

After Liverpool the conference that was held in London on 21 st to 26th October 1878 took the
name as the General conference on foreign Missions. It was the London secretaries association
that initiated and brought into action the London conference 1878.160 delegates from thirty-four
societies six of the societies being American and five continentals attended the General
conference on foreign Missions. Like the Liverpool conference that recorded the presence of a
line native pastor this time too the American Baptist missionaries brought with them a Burmese
pastor.

The continental conferences

The continental missions conference originated in Germany and had its first mission conference
at Bremen Germany in 1866.the pioneer of this international missionary body was Dr. Friedrich
Fabri, Inspector of the Rhenish mission at Bremen. The conference was another movement that
Brought about significant development in home –base missionary co-operation. It met once in
every tour or five years.

The Ausschuss was a standing committee of the German protestant missions. It grew up in the
context of the German movement for national unity and Christian search for missionary co-
operation. By the 1870s Bismarck had united Germany. It also became a colonial power in the
islands of the pacific and territories in Africa. German mission societies found themselves at a
loss when dealing with the German colonial office with a divided voice. Then the progress of
General conferences in the neighboring Scandinavian nations in the continental and Gustav
warneck’s proposal for the establishment of a Mission bund in German were other contributing
factors for the emergence of the Ausschuss.

Ecumenical Beginning in India

Ecumenical involvement in Mission Field
In the previous section we have mentioned the two inter denominational relations. Ecumenical
experiences in the past had not been encouraging although there was every possibility for
reconsideration and reconciliation although there was every possibility for reconsideration and
reconciliation even in the midst of differences. Now before we move on to the description of the
ecumenical beginnings in the mission fields home bases and the development in India, it will be

8
good if we look at the interdenominational cooperation that did not land in any major conflict
that was in relation to the Lutheran Tranquebar Mission in the 18th century.

Danish-Halle cooperation:
The king of Denmark Frederick IV was a Lutheran Christian of evangelical conviction. Like the
king of Portugal ha had a deep passion for mission. As his kingdom had already secured
settlements in Tranqubar in India the king wanted to send missionaries for the propagation of the
Gospel among the native non-Christians while it was not difficult for him to plan support and
make decision for this purpose he however stumbled in finding qualified and committed
missionaries from his own country. His zeal for starting a missionary work in India became a
reality only when he was open for cooperation with mission personnel from other countries.

Lutheran and Anglican cooperation:

Whereas the Lutheran Mission had already gone into the field for mission and evangelism, the
Anglican church that had organized the society for the propagation of Christian Knowledge in
1699 did not know yet how to go about doing major missionary work in non Christian lands.
They were however very happy to hear of the progress of the Lutheran mission in India. Perhaps
based on the perception that the goal of missionary work was for salvation through Jesus Christ
the SPCK leadership did not find any difficulty in whosoever was doing the work of
evangelization .It just decided to cooperate with the Danish Lutheran Mission in Tranquebar

Socio-cultural factors for missionary co-operation and Joint action.

We have stated elsewhere that although the 16 th century reformation was engaged the same
struggle for ecclesiastical reforms it nevertheless produced unrecognized ecclesiastical tradition.
These fragmented forces had far reaching consequence, especially in the later centuries. The rise
of missionary movements and their mission adventure into the non-Christian lands contributed
toward the development of a divided Christianity.

No sooner had the missionaries started their mission of conquest they realized the need for co-
operation. William Carey the father of Modern Mission saw this need as early as 1805. Monthly
prayers and conferences among secretaries of different mission societies in London began way
back since 1819 and co operation in the mission fields in the form of city missionary union was
started in Bombay in 1825 and made tremendous impact on the missionaries working in India.
Now why did such move for co-operation and joint action come up in the thinking of the
missionaries?

Co-operation among Home Boards

We have indicated above some of the factors, which have prompted co-operation in the mission
fields. Here we will see the development of co-operation among several home boards.

The London secretaries Association

Formed by the then secretaries of the Baptist Missionary society the London Missionary society
the church missionary society and the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary society in London in
1819 the London secretaries association was not a constitutional body but a fellowship for
mutual exchange of ideas advice and counsel. They met first at the Baptist Missionary society
House in London on 19 October 1819 for prayers and sharing ideas of similar concerns and

9
interests. Since then met regularly almost once in a month except in the summer time until the
Second World War period.

Northern Lutheran Mission confederacies

Whereas the challenges of the mission fields and effective world evangelization were major
factors that precipitated general missionary conferences in England and in the US the
development in Scandinavian region was somewhat different. It was the political movement for
Scandinavian unity that had led to the rise and growth of co-operation missionary conferences in
Scandinavia.

The Scandinavian Christian unity began in Denmark in 1853.Dr.Christian kalkar a converted

Danish Jew was the chief protagonist for ecclesiastical scandinavianism and missionary interest.
Kalkar believed that denominational differences were not in agreement with the basic Christian
faith and values. He always favored and approved inter-denominational Christian movement.
Under his initiative and influence three scscandinavian church gatherings were held at
Copenhagen in 1857 at Lund in 1859 and at Kristina in 1861.However ecclesiastical unity in
Scandinavia appeared to have a certain degree of understanding at the level of a general
conference but had to apply to diverse local situations except on the question of missions of
course.

Missionary conference in various lands

Protestant mission societies and missionaries from Europe and North America had by the 19 th
century faint out to different regions in Asia, Africa and Latin America. They had gone out into
the world with the gospel of salvation for the purpose of evangelization. Denominational
differences, the product of western Christianity, were a mockery of the New Testament faith to
the mission filed tough it was and indifferent issue in western Christian thinking. Missionaries
realized these mistakes in the mission fields. Their conference is in various lands were therefore,
in part attempt to heal past mistakes and to facilitate mutual understanding and unity.

William Carey was well acknowledged as the first missionary statesman for realizing the need of
a general missionary conference- a world wide cross-denominational gathering. He expressed his
far seeing vision for a decennial conference that would meet at he Cape of Good Hope regularly
from 1806. to took some years for Christian missionaries to see this need and to implement it.

The fist General Missionary Conference in the mission fields was held in Calcutta in 1855. Most
major missionary societies attended the conference. Earlier local City Missionary; Union and
Conferences in Bombay 1825, Calcutta(c, 1830) and Madras had meaningful and successful
gathering. These meetings face to worship and pray tog her, to discuss in depth on numerous
missiological topics besides sharing of problems in the fields. As we will describe more about
their developments in a separate section, we will now move in to the progress in other countries.

Missionary Conferences in Japan were also active. Starting its first conference in 1872,
missionaries could meet again at Osaka in Tokyo in 1900 at least before the World Missionary
Conference, Edingburgh, and 1910. From the beginning of their meeting together, the
missionaries devoted their attention to the urgency of completing the task of translating the Bible
into Japanese. The setting up of translation committee that comprised members from each

10
mission society in Japan was a historic venture in Asian ecumenical history. Another area of
concern was the experience that denominational differences impeded the “oneness of the
church”. Other concentrated areas of ecumenical importance taken up in the general missionary
conferences were co-operation, comity and church union

City missionary association:

Missionaries in Bombay Calcutta Calcutta and Madras realized mistakes more than those in rural
areas because among several factors of reasonable feedback from intellectuals from other
religions faiths. The Bombay Missionary union introduced in 1825 brought together
representatives from the church Missionary society the American Board and extended its
invitations to all protestant mission societies. Similar city fellowship meetings were started at
Calcutta in about 1830 and in Madras as well.

Regional conferences
The local fellowship gatherings provided ecumenical awareness, which soon led to the
emergence of northern and southern regional ecumenical conferences in the second half of the
19th century.

The Northern India Genera conference

The Northern Missionary conferences were held in Calcutta held in Calcutta 1855,Benares 1857
and in Lahore 1863.Important among mission societies which took active part in these
conferences were the Baptist Missionary society the church Missionary society the cathedral
Mission society the church Missionary society the cathedral Mission the church of Scotland
Presbyterian Missions the free church of Scotland American and Scottish Presbyterian Missions
the Methodist and German Missions. These missions and their missionaries learnt the value of
unity in India and expressed their mutual love and concern in solidarity.
The south India conference
The south India conferences were held in Ootacamund in 1858 Bangalore in 1879 and Madras in
1902.

Ootacamund, 1858
This conference raised significant missiological issues but stressed in communication of the
Gospel in vernacular education bible translation and distribution. It took up other issues like
caste comity and Christian unity. The conference realized that ecclesiastical differences might
have succeeded in the west but faced a setback in India. The Bangalore conference 1879 gave
due attention to education and the native church. The conference directed its” attention toward
the future outward recognition in church union of an already inwardly experienced Christian
unity”. It also underscored the credibility of developing a vibrant indigenous church.

National conference:
Local consultative unions and regional conferences had been successful inter mission
endeavours. Many experienced a new sense of unity and realized its value in the context of a vast
majority of non-Christian population. Ecumenical vision did not look upon the limit of a region
but the limit of a region but widened it to the level of the whole nation. This proposal was
discussed at the North India Regional conference held at Lahore in 1862.

11
The first all India missionary conference was held in Allahabad from 27 th December 1872 to 1st
January 1873.Out of 136 delegates that represented 19 mission societies in India 28 were native
Indian representatives. The conference shared common concerns for unity and co-operation in
evangelization and gave due recognition to the growing rise of native Indian church. It also
considered the utmost need of holding a decennial national missionary conference in order to
promote the tempo of inter-mission co-operation.

A Church union Movement in India and in Selected countries

1. Different Concepts of church union; spiritual, federal, organic and consular
The spiritual model of church union: spiritual unity does not have structures. It is a molded
that does not come from outside in the form of a creedal statement, imperial order, constitutional
arrangement or through signing of memoranda of understandings. Rather, it is a spontaneous
response to the faith community that flows firm the depth of ones love. Jesus Christ envisages a
spiritual molded of unity based on renewal, faith and love. He ministers to those who have
passed through spiritual experiences and accept Him as Lord and God. Jesus himself says, “I am
the Good Shepherd; I know my own and my own me, as the Father know me and I know the
Father; and I IAY down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I
must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock one shepherd.
(John 10:14-16). What has bound Jesus’ sheep together in one fold is determined not by external
factors, but by the divine power that has made “all” to belong to the spiritual family- a kind of
the invisible church

The New Testament community is a spiritual community of faith in Jesus Christ that transcends
racial barriers. Paul exemplifies this community in a spectacular expression saying, “For as many
of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew or Greek, there is
neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
(Gal.3: 27f.).

The federal union:

The federal model of church union believes in the form of unity in diversity .It recognizes the
presence of numerous cultural identities ecclesiastical differences allowed the continuance of
distinctive characteristic and autonomy in each church group but maintains a general
administrative body for the entire Christian churches .The federal type of church union preserves
the special historical heritages and diversity of the member churches.

The organic Model

This model of union may be compared to the body of a living organism. Paul refers to the church
as the body of Christ “from whom the whole body joined and knit together by every joint with
which it is supposed when each part is working properly makes bodily growth and up builds
itself in love”(Eph, 4:16).It is this kind of unity which is described as an organic model. In
practical reality it signifies a type of union based on a centralized from of administration like the
Episcopacy or Presbyterianism.

12
The concillar unity:
Together During the medieval pediod the word concilarity of papacy because of papal rivalry
between Rome and Avignon. Its meaning today is completely different as it deals with the
relationship of different denominational churches as one body even in the midst of diversity.

It was the Nairobi WCC Assembly 1975 that envisioned the concilliar model of church unity
even though ecumenists had contemplated upon this subject as early as the third WCC assembly
in New Delhi in 1961.the Nairobi Assembly describes the meaning of unity as follows: the one
church which are themselves truly noted. In this noncillar fellowship fullness of catholicity,
witnesses to the same apostolic faith and therefore recognizes the others as belonging to the same
church of Christ and guided b y the same spirit. They are bound together because they have
received the same baptism and share in the same Eucharist. They recognize each other’s
members and ministries. They are one in their common commitment to confess the gospel of
Christ by proclamation and service to the world. To this end each church aims at maintaining
sustained and sustaining relationships with her sister churches expressed in concilliar gatherings
whenever required for the fulfillment of their common calling.

Ecumenical movement in south India

Background:
Ecumenical movement in India grew up in the context of missionary gatherings nationalism and
renaissance. Protestant missions began to winter upon the field in India way back in the early 18 th
century. We have discussed elsewhere how missionaries in the country have felt a sense of deep
remorse for their past divided heritages and for bringing a fragmented Christianity. As part of
their attempt to heal differences there have been intense consultative efforts beginning with the
Bombay Missionary union in 1825 and then extending to the regional and national conferences.
These ventures had contributed toward the promotion of understanding respect mutual counsel
and co-operation among different societies. John R. Mott’s visits in 1896-97,in 1901-02 in 1912-
13 that led to the introduction of the student Christian Movement and National Missionary
council in India have further boosted inter-denominational fellowship.

South India united church (SIUC)

We have indicated above the non-text, which has contributed to the growth of the growth of the
ecumenical thinking in India. Before the formation of the south India United church in 1908
there were inter-mission co-operation union institutions and confessional union. Missionary
association in metropolitan cities regional conferences and decennial or national conferences in
the 19th century had set a firm ecumenical foundation in Indian Christian churches. The impact of
the Edinburgh conference 1910 which resulted in the setting up of the National Missionary
council in 1914 and the NCCI later was also another notable milestone in the larger ecumenical
process.

The SIUC and the formation of the CSI:

The reorganized and interdenominational south India united church (SIUC) took off in 1908
following the joining in of the Presbyterians and the Congregationalists in south India and the
Jaffna District of Sri Lanka (known then as Ceylon). The joining in of the Basel Mission in 1919
had further added strength to the SIUC. Before the formation of the church of south India (CSI)
churches that were actively involved in the process of negotiations hailed from three distinct

13
traditions, viz., Calvinism, Episcopalism and Revivalism. All three had stories of disagreement
strife and contention in their own countries and had successfully made inroads into India. The
Presbyterians and Congregationalists shared common origin in Calvinism who rejected both
episcopalism and liturgy. The Anglican Communion in south India was the Anglo-catholic
tradition that continued to retain most elements of the medieval church except withdrawal of
allegiance to the pope of Rome. And the Methodists though belonged to the Anglican tradition
but because of their adherence to the Evangelical Revival had opted to remain independent.

Church union movements in selected countries

A survey of the church union movements in Japan china, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nigeria is
important for widening our knowledge but it is more important logical and reflective when an
examination on this topic is done from the perspective of a variety of different models e.g. union
among churches of the same origins trans confessional corporate union and union of the
Episcopal and non –Episcopal churches.

Intra-confessional union:
The first kind of church union that could help us think and reflect is a union of different churches
that belong to the same tradition. This union is called intra-confessional corporate union. While
one may refer to the development of such union in different Euro-North American countries or
elsewhere the development in Scotland is in general observation typical because of differences
despite sharing a common origin

Scotland was a country with an almost cent percent Presbyterian population. In other words the
Presbyterian Church was the only Christian church among the citizens in Scotland. However the
distinctive feature of Presbyterianism at least in the country was its productivity in ecclesiastical
division. Before 1900 there were as many as three major autonomous divisions. The united
Presbyterian Church the Free Church of Scotland joined in together and formed the united Free
Church. But the Church of Scotland was different because it was a state church.

Trans-confessional corporate union

The other model of union is a union of churches that dews not belong to the same confessional
family. These churches have different stories of origins beliefs practices ministries and
administrative procedures. Their union is called “Trans confessional corporate union” or inter-
church union. We will refer to such developments in Canada china and Japan.

First the united church of Canada:

Canada generally a country of numerous Christian immigrants. Those who have immigrated to
Canada though were not able to carry everything from their place of origin but one thing they
would not like to leave behind was the denominational church. It was not surprising to see the
rise of Christian churches in different ecclesiastical segments even within a village of few
hundred families. By the early 19th, churches of protestant traditions the Baptists the Lutherans
the Mennonites and had others had secured their foothold in Canada and had begun to spread far
and wide. Despite the differences one thing that these churches had in common was their
heritage to a non-Episcopal tradition.

14
Second the church of Christ in china
Unlike the development of the Christian church in Canada, but like most of the mission fields in
Asia and Africa china witnessed the uncontrolled incoming of numerous protestant missionary
organizations. It was reported that there were as many as 123 protestant Mission societies in
china by 1938 representing mainly the Presbyterian the Congregationalists the Baptist the
Methodist the united church of Canada the reformed united brethren in Christ the Lutherans the
Anglicans and some others.

Union of Episcopal and non Episcopal churches

The Episcopal and non-Episcopal union that had taken place in India was another significant
model of union of the 20th century. The process of union occurred in the creation of the church of
south India and the church of North India. Although we have dealt with these two union
churched in the previous sections given the uniqueness of the union one can describe their
developments again even it if amounts to reputation and redundancy.

First the church of south India:

The formation of the church of south in 1947 witnessed the merger of the Anglican historic
episcopate tradition the Calvinistic heritage and the Methodist church of Revival origin. Stephen
C. Neil was right when he commented “the church of south India is unique in that for the first
time in history a church succession of the Episcopal has succeeds in entering with full corporate
union with non Episcopal has succeeded in entering with full corporate union with non Episcopal
churches.” The union proposal and discussion did not have a smooth beginning. However the
spirit of love openness humility co-operation conversation and action brought about drastic
transformation in the process. The negotiation that led to the promulgation of the Traquebar
Manifesto in 1919 was so decisive as it paved the way for further discussion clarification and
modification. The parties to the union negotiation approved the first three sections of the
manifesto viz., the Holy Scriptures the Apostles and the Nicene creeds and the two sacraments
but not the question of ministry “the historic episcopacy….”

Second the church of North India:

Like the CSI the CNI too that was inaugurated at Nagpur in 1970 was a union of Episcopal
churches. The negotiation for union was rife with major difficulties but the way in which
churches tried their best to reach for an understanding and agreement was a miracle. The first
difficulty was in the question of Episcopacy. For example the Anglican Communion and the
Methodist church of southern Asia had adopted the Episcopal from of administration. But they
greatly differed as while the Anglican Church believed in the Petrine apostolic succession the
Methodist church adopted the constitutional episcopacy. Mutual understanding among them that
the Episcopal system of the CNI need to be adopted which would satisfy both the apostolic and
the constitutional factors appeared to have solved this standing theological problem.

Evolution of Modern Ecumenical Movement

World Missionary conference, Edinburgh 1910:Its impact on the growth of the Modern
ecumenical Movement:
Background:
Spiritual developments and missionary movement in the 18th and 19th centuries provided a
conductive atmosphere that eventually led to the successful holding of an epochal and landmark

15
world missionary conference at Edinburgh in 1910.It was the culmination of mission leaders
united efforts to bring missionaries native leaders mission societies and boards to a common
sense of unity for world evangelization John R. Mott and other ecumenical leaders strongly
affirmed the possibility of reaching the non Christian world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christian movements towards interdenominational cooperation had mostly the objective of

mission and evangelism and not just cooperation or unity the concern was for the successful
fulfillment of the Great commission.

Leaders of the student volunteer Movement for foreign Missions that had adopted the motto,
“The evangelization of the world in this generation did not see it just as important and necessary
but also as urgent.

Edinburgh 1910,grew out of the missionary movement and ecumenicity, ecumenical leaders saw
unity as an important means in which the church could pursue and expedite the task of
converting the “heathens” and planting of churches.

Basis of the conference

 The world missionary conference met on 14th –23rd June 1910.It was a widely represented
conference. Its 1200 strong-delegated came from almost 160 protestant mission societies or
boards and native leaders from the mission fields. Almost all those who participated in it
were officials of boards or societies at hone and persons who were actively involved in
missionary work in the mission field.

Edinburgh provided an occasion that gave serious attention to the planning for effective mission
and evangelism of the whole world in this generation. They met together and expressed their
oneness in the daily sessions of worship and group meetings besides participating in the main
business sessions. The focus of its ecumenical unity was on the worlds need of Christ and the
urgency of fulfilling the great commission.

Importance: Unlike the previous missionary conferences, Edinburgh 1910 was important
because of its consultative character in which different missionary societies or boards could unite
together in thinking and planning for achieving common mission goals. This dimension might
well be perceived from a careful observation of the eight major topics that were presented and
discussed in the conference. They were I) carrying the gospel to all the non Christian world, 2)
the church in the mission field 3)education in the relation to christianization of national life,4)the
missionary message in relation to non Christian religions,5)the preparation of missionaries,6)the
home base of missions,7)missions and Governments and 8)cooperation and promotion of unity.
These topics were wide ranging realistic and providing indication of people’s vision for mission
and evangelism and experiences from the mission fields. Also they were practical and pointed to
the area of immediate implementation of the task of reaching the world with the Christian gospel.

16