WCC, others consider global Christian forum By John H. Adams The Layman Online Friday, September 15, 2000 PASADENA, Calif. – Representatives of a variety of Christian perspectives are considering organizing a global Christian forum of Christian denominations and para-church organizations. Participants, who met in Pasadena Sept. 9-11, have developed a possible framework for the future forum so that "churches from a wider range of traditions may have a common space to discuss issues of mutual concern." In a news release, Georges Lemopoulos, deputy general secretary of the World Council of Churches, was quoted as saying that the meeting was "a step forward in the efforts to bring the various expressions of today's Christianity around the common table for dialogue and cooperation." Similar to NCC steps The move involving the World Council of Churches and other communions, including evangelicals, Pentecostals and Roman Catholics, is similar to what is happening to the financially strapped National Council of Churches in the United States. The NCC has initiated an effort to forge some kind of union with evangelicals and Catholics. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the NCC, has said that the NCC may have to die and become reborn as an altogether different organization. For both the WCC and the NCC, any alliance with evangelicals and Roman Catholics would likely require a stronger emphasis on evangelism and a lower commitment to liberal political causes. The Pasadena meeting, held at the evangelical Fuller Theological Seminary, brought together 30 people representing different Christian denominations. "Those present came from Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Reformation Protestant, Pentecostal and Evangelical churches as well as Christian networks and para-church organizations," according to the WCC news release. Framework for forum During the three-day meeting, papers were presented on the history of inter-church relations from Evangelical, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Anglican, Protestant and Roman Catholic perspectives. The representatives adopted the following framework for continuing the forum: "In the spirit of John 17:21 'that all of them may be one . . . so that the world may believe that you have sent me' and because of our common faith in a reconciling God" (II Cor. 5:18-21), the forum is intended: "To deepen our commitment to God's mission in the world" "To enhance our understanding of contemporary expressions of Christian mission (Matt. 28:19,20, Matt. 22: 37-39, John 20:21 and Acts 1:8)" "To pursue principles and practices that would enable us to handle our Christian differences and distinctives creatively and peaceably" To engage in theological reflection in areas of common concern" "To strengthen the wholeness of the church by encouraging communication and cooperation" "To foster relationships that may lead to common witness"

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