CHARTA OECUMENICA
Leitlinien für die wachsende Zusammenarbeit unter den Kirchen in Europa
"Ehre sei dem Vater und dem Sohne und dem Heiligen Geist"
Als Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen und als Rat der Europäischen
Bischofskonferenzen* sind wir im Geist der Botschaft der beiden
Europäischen Ökumenischen Versammlungen von Basel 1989 und von Graz
1997 fest entschlossen, die unter uns gewachsene Gemeinschaft zu
bewahren und fortzuentwickeln. Wir danken unserem Dreieinigen Gott,
dass er durch seinen Heiligen Geist unsere Schritte zu einer immer
intensiveren Gemeinschaft führt.
Vielfältige Formen der ökumenischen Zusammenarbeit haben sich bereits
bewährt. In Treue zu dem Gebet Christi: "Alle sollen eins sein: Wie du,
Vater, in mir bist und ich in dir, sollen auch sie eins sein, damit die
Welt glaube, dass du mich gesandt hast" (Johannes 17, 21), dürfen wir
jedoch bei dem jetzigen Zustand nicht stehenbleiben. Im Bewusstsein
unserer Schuld und zur Umkehr bereit müssen wir uns bemühen, die unter
uns noch bestehenden Spaltungen zu überwinden, damit wir gemeinsam die
Botschaft des Evangeliums unter den Völkern glaubwürdig verkündigen.
Im gemeinsamen Hören auf Gottes Wort in der Heiligen Schrift und
herausgefordert zum Bekenntnis unseres gemeinsamen Glaubens sowie im
gemeinsamen Handeln gemäss der erkannten Wahrheit wollen wir Zeugnis
geben von der Liebe und Hoffnung für alle Menschen.
Auf unserem europäischen Kontinent zwischen Atlantik und Ural, zwischen
Nordkap und Mittelmeer, der heute mehr denn je durch eine plurale
Kultur geprägt wird, wollen wir mit dem Evangelium für die Würde der
menschlichen Person als Gottes Ebenbild eintreten und als Kirchen
gemeinsam dazu beitragen, Völker und Kulturen zu versöhnen.
In diesem Sinn nehmen wir diese Charta als gemeinsame Verpflichtung zum
Dialog und zur Zusammenarbeit an. Sie beschreibt grundlegende
ökumenische Aufgaben und leitet daraus eine Reihe von Leitlinien und
Verpflichtungen ab. Sie soll auf allen Ebenen des kirchlichen Lebens
eine ökumenische Kultur des Dialogs und der Zusammenarbeit fördern und
dafür einen verbindlichen Masstab schaffen. Sie hat jedoch keinen
lehramtlich-dogmatischen oder kirchenrechtlich-gesetzlichen Charakter.
Ihre Verbindlichkeit besteht vielmehr in der Selbstverpflichtung der
europäischen Kirchen und ökumenischen Organisationen. Diese können für
ihren Bereich auf der Grundlage dieses Basistextes eigene Zusätze und
gemeinsame Perspektiven formulieren, die sich konkret mit ihren
besonderen Herausforderungen und den sich daraus ergebenden
Verpflichtungen befassen. *Zur Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen (KEK)
gehören die meisten orthodoxen, reformatorischen, anglikanischen,
freikirchlichen und altkatholischen Kirchen in Europa. Im Rat der
Europäischen Bischofskonferenzen (CCEE) sind die römisch-katholischen
Bischofskonferenzen in Europa zusammengeschlossen.
Auferstandener Christus,
wir bitten dich um den Glauben,
dass das Leben
stärker ist als der Tod.
Dass der Friede Gottes
stärker ist als der Krieg.
Dass die Hoffnung
nicht begraben wird.
Allem Augenschein,
allem Entsetzen,
aller Trauer zum Trotz.
Lass dieser Welt
deine Ostersonne aufgehen. Amen.
CHARTA OECUMENICA
Guidelines for the Growing Cooperation
among the Churches in Europe
"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit"
As the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Council of
European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE)* we are, in the spirit of the
Messages from the two European Ecumenical Assemblies of Basel (1989)
and Graz (1997), firmly resolved to preserve and develop the fellowship
that has grown up among us. We give thanks to the Triune God for
guiding our steps towards an ever deeper fellowship through the Holy
Spirit.
Various forms of ecumenical co-operation have already proved
themselves. Christ's prayer is: "...that they may all be one. As you,
Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the
world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21). If we are to be
faithful to this prayer, we cannot be content with the present
situation. Instead, aware of our guilt and ready to repent, we must
strive to overcome the divisions still existing among us, so that
together we may credibly proclaim the message of the Gospel among all
people.
Listening together to God's word in Holy Scripture, challenged to
confess our common faith and to act together in accordance with the
perceived truth, let us bear witness to the love and hope which are for
all people.
Europe - from the Atlantic to the Urals, from the North Cape to the
Mediterranean - is today more pluralist in culture than ever before.
With the Gospel, we want to stand up for the dignity of the human
person created in God's image and, as churches together, contribute
towards reconciling peoples and cultures.
In this spirit, we adopt this charter as a common commitment to
dialogue and co-operation. It describes fundamental ecumenical
responsibilities, from which follow a number of guidelines and
commitments. It is designed to promote an ecumenical culture of
dialogue and co-operation at all levels of church life, and to provide
agreed criteria for this. However, it has no magisterial or dogmatic
character, nor is it legally binding under church law. Its authority
will derive from the voluntary commitments of the European churches and
ecumenical organisations. Building on this basic text, they can
formulate their own local addenda, designed to meet their own specific
challenges and resulting commitments.
______________________________
* To the Conference of European Churches (CEC) belong almost all
Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, Old-Catholic and independent churches
in Europe. In the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) are
represented all Roman Catholic Bishops' Conferences in Europe. I.
WE BELIEVE IN
"ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH"
"(Make) every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the
one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians
4:3-6) 1. Called Together to Unity in Faith With the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, according to the witness of Holy Scripture and as expressed in
the ecumenical Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of 381, we believe in
the Triune God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because we here
confess "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church" our paramount
ecumenical task is to show forth this unity, which is always a gift of
God.
Fundamental differences in faith are still barriers to visible unity.
There are different views of the church and its oneness, of the
sacraments and ministries. We must not be satisfied with this
situation. Jesus Christ revealed to us on the cross his love and the
mystery of reconciliation; as his followers, we intend to do our utmost
to overcome the problems and obstacles that still divide the churches.
We commit ourselves
to follow the apostolic exhortation of the Letter to the Ephesians and
persevere in seeking a common understanding of Christ's message of
salvation in the Gospel; in the power of the Holy Spirit, to work
towards the visible unity of the Church of Jesus Christ in the one
faith, expressed in the mutual recognition of baptism and in
eucharistic fellowship, as well as in common witness and service. II.
ON THE WAY TOWARDS THE VISIBLE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCHES IN EUROPE
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love
for one another" (John 13:35) 2. Proclaiming the Gospel together
The most important task of the churches in Europe is the common
proclamation of the Gospel, in both word and deed, for the salvation of
all. The widespread lack of corporate and individual orientation and
falling away from Christian values challenge Christians to testify to
their faith, particularly in response to the quest for meaning which is
being pursued in so many forms. This witness will require increased
dedication to Christian education (e.g. catechism classes) and pastoral
care in local congregations, with a sharing of experiences in these
fields. It is equally important for the whole people of God together to
communicate the Gospel in the public domain, which also means
responsible commitments to social and political issues.
We commit ourselves
to discuss our plans for evangelisation with other churches, entering
into agreements with them and thus avoiding harmful competition and the
risk of fresh divisions; to recognise that every person can freely
choose his or her religious and church affiliation as a matter of
conscience, which means not inducing anyone to convert through moral
pressure or material incentive, but also not hindering anyone from
entering into conversion of his or her own free will. 3. Moving towards
one another
In the spirit of the Gospel, we must reappraise together the history of
the Christian churches, which has been marked by many beneficial
experiences but also by schisms, hostilities and even armed conflicts.
Human guilt, lack of love and the frequent abuse of faith and the
church for political interests have severely damaged the credibility of
the Christian witness.
Ecumenism therefore begins for Christians with the renewal of our
hearts and the willingness to repent and change our ways. The
ecumenical movement has already helped to spread reconciliation.
It is important to acknowledge the spiritual riches of the different
Christian traditions, to learn from one another and so to receive these
gifts. For the ecumenical movement to flourish it is particularly
necessary to integrate the experiences and expectations of young people
and actively encourage their participation.
We commit ourselves
to overcome the feeling of self-sufficiency within each church, and to
eliminate prejudices; to seek mutual encounters and to be available to
help one another; to promote ecumenical openness and co-operation in
Christian education, and in theological training, continuing education
and research. 4. Acting together
Various forms of shared activity are already ecumenical. Many
Christians from different churches live side by side and interact in
friendships, in their neighbourhoods, at work and in their families.
Couples in interdenominational marriages especially should be supported
in experiencing ecumenism in their daily lives.
We recommend that bilateral and multilateral ecumenical bodies be set
up and maintained for co-operation at local, regional, national and
international levels. At the European level it is necessary to
strengthen co-operation between the Conference of European Churches and
the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) and to hold further
European Ecumenical Assemblies.
In the event of conflicts between churches, efforts towards mediation
and peace should be initiated and/or supported as needed.
We commit ourselves
to act together at all levels of church life wherever conditions permit
and there are no reasons of faith or overriding expediency mitigating
against this; to defend the rights of minorities and to help reduce
misunderstandings and prejudices between majority and minority churches
in our countries. 5. Praying together
The ecumenical movement lives from our hearing God's word and letting
the Holy Spirit work in us and through us. In the power of this grace,
many different initiatives now seek, through services of prayer and
worship, to deepen the spiritual fellowship among the churches and to
pray for the visible unity of Christ's Church. A particularly painful
sign of the divisions among many Christian churches is the lack of
eucharistic fellowship.
In some churches reservations subsist regarding praying together in an
ecumenical context. But we have many hymns and liturgical prayers in
common, notably the Lord's Prayer, and ecumenical services have become
a widespread practice: all of these are features of our Christian
spirituality.
We commit ourselves
to pray for one another and for Christian unity; to learn to know and
appreciate the worship and other forms of spiritual life practised by
other churches; to move towards the goal of eucharistic fellowship. 6.
Continuing in dialogue
We belong together in Christ, and this is of fundamental significance
in the face of our differing theological and ethical positions. Rather
than seeing our diversity as a gift which enriches us, however, we have
allowed differences of opinion on doctrine, ethics and church law to
lead to separations between churches, with special historical
circumstances and different cultural backgrounds often playing a
crucial role.
In order to deepen ecumenical fellowship, endeavours to reach a
consensus in faith must be continued at all cost. Only in this way can
church communion be given a theological foundation. There is no
alternative to dialogue.
We commit ourselves
to continue in conscientious, intensive dialogue at different levels
between our churches, and to examine the question of how official
church bodies can receive and implement the findings gained in
dialogue; in the event of controversies, particularly when divisions
threaten in questions of faith and ethics, to seek dialogue and discuss
the issues together in the light of the Gospel. III.
OUR COMMON RESPONSIBILITY IN EUROPE
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God"
(Matthew 5:9) 7. Participating in the building of Europe
Through the centuries Europe has developed a primarily Christian
character in religious and cultural terms. However, Christians have
failed to prevent suffering and destruction from being inflicted by
Europeans, both within Europe and beyond. We confess our share of
responsibility for this guilt and ask God and our fellow human beings
for forgiveness.
Our faith helps us to learn from the past, and to make our Christian
faith and love for our neighbours a source of hope for morality and
ethics, for education and culture, and for political and economic life,
in Europe and throughout the world.
The churches support an integration of the European continent. Without
common values, unity cannot endure. We are convinced that the spiritual
heritage of Christianity constitutes an empowering source of
inspiration and enrichment for Europe. On the basis of our Christian
faith, we work towards a humane, socially conscious Europe, in which
human rights and the basic values of peace, justice, freedom,
tolerance, participation and solidarity prevail. We likewise insist on
the reverence for life, the value of marriage and the family, the
preferential option for the poor, the readiness to forgive, and in all
things compassion.
As churches and as international communities we have to counteract the
danger of Europe developing into an integrated West and a disintegrated
East, and also take account of the North-South divide within Europe. At
the same time we must avoid Eurocentricity and heighten Europe's sense
of responsibility for the whole of humanity, particularly for the poor
all over the world.
We commit ourselves
to seek agreement with one another on the substance and goals of our
social responsibility, and to represent in concert, as far as possible,
the concerns and visions of the churches vis-à-vis the secular European
institutions;> to defend basic values against infringements of every
kind to resist any attempt to misuse religion and the church for ethnic
or nationalist purposes. 8. Reconciling peoples and cultures
We consider the diversity of our regional, national, cultural and
religious traditions to be enriching for Europe. In view of numerous
conflicts, the churches are called upon to serve together the cause of
reconciliation among peoples and cultures. We know that peace among the
churches is an important prerequisite for this.
Our common endeavours are devoted to evaluating, and helping to
resolve, political and social issues in the spirit of the Gospel.
Because we value the person and dignity of every individual as made in
the image of God, we defend the absolutely equal value of all human
beings.
As churches we intend to join forces in promoting the process of
democratisation in Europe. We commit ourselves to work for structures
of peace, based on the non-violent resolution of conflicts. We condemn
any form of violence against the human person, particularly against
women and children.
Reconciliation involves promoting social justice within and among all
peoples; above all, this means closing the gap between rich and poor
and overcoming unemployment. Together we will do our part towards
giving migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers a humane reception in
Europe.
We commit ourselves
to counteract any form of nationalism which leads to the oppression of
other peoples and national minorities and to engage ourselves for
non-violent resolutions; to strengthen the position and equal rights of
women in all areas of life, and to foster partnership in church and
society between women and men. 9. Safeguarding the creation
Believing in the love of the Creator God, we give thanks for the gift
of creation and the great value and beauty of nature. However, we are
appalled to see natural resources being exploited without regard for
their intrinsic value or consideration of their limits, and without
regard for the well-being of future generations.
Together we want to help create sustainable living conditions for the
whole of creation. It is our responsibility before God to put into
effect common criteria for distinguishing between what human beings are
scientifically and technologically capable of doing and what, ethically
speaking, they should not do.
We recommend the introduction in European churches of an Ecumenical Day
of Prayer for the Preservation of Creation.
We commit ourselves
to strive to adopt a lifestyle free of economic pressures and
consumerism and a quality of life informed by accountability and
sustainability; to support church environmental organisations and
ecumenical networks in their efforts for the safeguarding of creation.
10. Strengthening community with Judaism
We are bound up in a unique community with the people Israel, the
people of the Covenant which God has never terminated. Our faith
teaches us that our Jewish sisters and brothers "are beloved, for the
sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are
irrevocable" (Rom 11.28-29). And "to them belong the adoption, the
glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the
promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to
the flesh, comes the Messiah" (Rom 9.4-5).
We deplore and condemn all manifestations of anti-Semitism, all
outbreaks of hatred and persecutions. We ask God for forgiveness for
anti-Jewish attitudes among Christians, and we ask our Jewish sisters
and brothers for reconciliation.
It is urgently necessary, in the worship and teaching, doctrine and
life of our churches, to raise awareness of the deep bond existing
between the Christian faith and Judaism, and to support
Christian-Jewish co-operation.
We commit ourselves
to oppose all forms of anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism in the church and
in society; to seek and intensify dialogue with our Jewish sisters and
brothers at all levels. 11. Cultivating relations with Islam
Muslims have lived in Europe for centuries. In some European countries
they constitute strong minorities. While there have been plenty of good
contacts and neighbourly relations between Muslims and Christians, and
this remains the case, there are still strong reservations and
prejudices on both sides. These are rooted in painful experiences
throughout history and in the recent past.
We would like to intensify encounters between Christians and Muslims
and enhance Christian-Islamic dialogue at all levels. We recommend, in
particular, speaking with one another about our faith in one God, and
clarifying ideas on human rights.
We commit ourselves
to conduct ourselves towards Muslims with respect; to work together
with Muslims on matters of common concern. 12. Encountering other
religions and world views
The plurality of religious and non-confessional beliefs and ways of
life has become a feature of European culture. Eastern religions and
new religious communities are spreading and also attracting the
interest of many Christians. In addition, growing numbers of people
reject the Christian faith, are indifferent to it or have other
philosophies of life.
We want to take seriously the critical questions of others, and try
together to conduct fair discussions with them. Yet a distinction must
be made between the communities with which dialogues and encounters are
to be sought, and those which should be warned against from the
Christian standpoint. We are committed
to recognise the freedom of religion and conscience of these
individuals and communities and to defend their right to practise their
faith or convictions, whether singly or in groups, privately or
publicly, in the context of rights applicable to all; to be open to
dialogue with all persons of good will, to pursue with them matters of
common concern, and to bring a witness of our Christian faith to them.
Jesus Christ, the Lord of the one Church, is our greatest hope of
reconciliation and peace.
In his name we intend to continue on our common path in Europe. We pray
for God's guidance through the power of the Holy Spirit.
"May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, so
that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom
15.13)
As Presidents of the Conference of European Churches and the Council of
European Bishops' Conferences, we commend this Charta Oecumenica as a
Basic Text to all the churches and Bishops' Conferences in Europe, to
be adopted and adapted in each of their local contexts.
With this commendation we hereby sign the Charta Oecumenica, on the
occasion of the European Ecumenical Encounter, on the first Sunday
after the common celebration of Easter in the year 2001.
Strasbourg, 22 April 2001
