Report from WCC Aram I: Find Christ beyond Christianity By Parker T. Williamson The Layman Online Wednesday, February 15, 2006 PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL – His Holiness Aram I, moderator of the World Council of Churches Central Committee and leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Lebanon, called on ecumenical Christians to "come out of our frozen, ossified, petrified churches" and recognize the Christ in other places. We cannot confine the economy, practice, activity, and saving action of Jesus Christ within the church," he said. In his message to the WCC Assembly, Aram I recognized that institutional ecumenism is "facing tremendous difficulty." Underscoring his point, he referenced leading member denominations, including the Presbyterian Church (USA), that are losing members at an increasingly rapid rate. "The world context today challenges institutional ecumenism, which must go through the process of transformation, no longer being confined within institutional structures," he said. The Christian church today lives in a pluralist world, a fact that is amplified by "globalization," Aram I said. "The new environment in which we live questions exclusivist, monological, and self-centered self-understanding, and calls for a dialogical self-definition," he said. This means that we must redefine the concept of "otherness," which has heretofore meant separateness. Encouraging inter-religious dialogue, Aram I said, "to discover the 'other,' is to rediscover oneself. The churches' missionary outreach must not be perceived as a reaction 'against' the stranger, but as a proactive engagement 'with' our neighbor." The "engagement" to which Aram I referred is to be experienced in "dialogue," not in attempts to persuade others to the truth of the Gospel. He said that he believes the Gospel is true, but that Christians should not insist on it. "The specificity and integrity of each religion should be respected in dialogue," he said. Aram I argued that his approach toward non-Christian religions is based on faith in the Triune God. He suggested that if one revisits "the Logos Christology" of the early church, he will see that "the Christ embraces the whole cosmos," not just the church. "The Holy Spirit's work is cosmic; it reaches in mysterious ways to people of all faiths. Therefore, the church is called to discern the signs of the 'hidden' Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit in other religions and in the world, and bear witness to God's salvation in Christ." During a press conference, Aram I was asked if his pluralist view constituted a theological equivalency between Christianity and non-Christian religions. "I do not choose to answer in these terms," he replied. "Jesus does not belong to the churches. He belongs to all humanity. He is savior of the world. There are people who accept him and those who do not. But he belongs to us all." A reporter asked Aram I why, if he was serious about broadening the WCC to include non-Christian religions, were there no plenary speakers from other faiths. He responded by pointing to assembly presentations that will include Buddhist and Muslim speakers and the fact that several discussion groups throughout the 10-day event are designed to facilitate inter-religious dialogue.

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