Included in this collection of documents from the twentieth-century ecumenical movement are passages from texts produced by assemblies, conferences, and studies of the World Council of Churches and similar bodies, covering three areas of historical concern within modern ecumenism: faith and order, life and work, and mission and evangelism.

Volume 2 (1948-1968) first appeared in 1970. It covers the history of the World Council of Churches from its first assembly at Amsterdam to its fourth assembly at Uppsala, Sweden; analyzes the development of regional ecumenical organizations; and recounts the impact of the Second Vatican Council on the ecumenical witness of the Roman Catholic Church.

By all accounts, the modern ecumenical movement is not moving much these days. Despite dramatic breakthroughs in the past few decades, the quest for a visibly united church--in which there is common confession of the apostolic faith, full Eucharistic communion, and mutual recognition of members and ministers--now meets with indifference by many, impatience by some, and outright hostility by others. In part, this is because the movement has not given enough attention to grassroots ecumenical engagement. This book is written to convince ordinary Christians, especially young Christian adults, that they too have a stake in the future of the ecumenical movement as its most indispensable participants. Ecumenism Means You, Too draws on the music of Irish rock band U2 to cast artistic light on various aspects of the quest for Christian unity. Whether one is a U2 fan or not, and whether one thinks the ecumenical movement is a good thing or a bad thing for the church, everyone who reads this book will learn something about the Christian theological framework apart from which neither the modern ecumenical movement nor the meaning of U2's music can be understood. The book includes an annotated bibliography of resources for ecumenical engagement and a glossary of key ecumenical terms for readers who want to learn more about the Christian practice of seeking the unity of the church.

With Courage and Compassion celebrates the contributions of women to nations, societies, churches, and the ecumenical movement. Through creative forms of resistance and daring theological exploration, women have enriched and advanced theological discourse and called for transformations in within human relationships with one another and with the earth. The World Council of Churches (WCC) has, since its inception in 1948, responded to the call of women for recognition of their leadership and theological gifts with efforts at affirmation and inclusion. However, all is not well. Structures and processes that permit many forms of exclusion and even violence against women in societies in the church and the ecumenical movement persist. This book analyses what lies at the heart of the struggle women go through and why the vulnerability of women continues to be exploited. It calls for a new theological vision and political imagination to transform unjust attitudes and systems that still exist, particularly in the ecumenical movement.

Luthern pastor Alton M. Motter, a veteran of decades of ecumenical efforts, offers a short, readable book giving the basic facts about the ecumenical movement. a valuable resource including 71 often asked questions and their answers.