Catholic Ecumenical Engagement and Scripture

Abstract

Scriptures occupy a central and referential place in Ecumenism, a movement initiated at the beginning of the 0^th Century with the intent to reverse the centuries of rivalries and mutual mistrust that had characterized denominational interactions. Because of its initiatives, ecumenism, which originally referred to the “inhabited world,” is now known as the movement towards Christian unity. Intently, at stake is the concretization of Jesus’ aspiration: “May they be one, as you we are one.” Jn. 17: 21. Because of its inspirational, authoritative and referential role, the Bible plays an unparalleled role in the incentive to unity. Rootedness in Scriptures and/or reference to Scriptures are necessary for any claim, any thought, any practice of ecumenical dimension. Simply said, for something to be ecumenically sound, it must also be biblically founded and befit basic biblical principles. Like other denominations, Scriptures highly inspired the engagement of the Roman Catholic Church in this movement. However, Catholic engagement benefits also from Tradition, which together with Scripture constitute the epistemic framework for the reception, interpretation and transmission of revelation.