Frequently Asked Questions about Christian Unity
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
-Jesus’ prayer for all believers, John 17:20-23
“We would, therefore, earnestly request our Churches to consider whether they are doing all they ought to do to manifest the oneness of the people of God. Should not our Churches ask themselves whether they are showing sufficient eagerness to enter into conversation with other Churches, and whether they should not act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately?”
–Statement of the 1952 World Conference on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches in Lund Sweden
What does “ecumenism” mean? How does Unite Boston fit in with the wider movement toward Christian unity? What does my Christian tradition have to say about other Christian traditions? If you’ve wondered about these questions, you’re in the right place! This is a brief list of many important resources for learning about ecumenism in and beyond Boston, representing different views between the various Christian traditions. If this doesn’t satisfy your curiosity, you can visit our larger, more comprehensive list of organizations, documents, and multimedia resources here.
If you represent an organization working for Christian unity not listed here, or know of such an organization, please email us at info@uniteboston.com. We’d love to know about them!
Resources from Local Authors on Christian Unity
Unity – or Disunity in the Church: How Can We Be One – Teaching Series at Grace Chapel (Tim Castner, Kelly Fassett, Scott Brill)
Scriptural Teaching on Christian Unity (Scott Brill)
Hospitality in a Polarized World (Kelly Fassett)
What does it mean today to be Ecumenical? (Tom Ryan?)
Christian Unity At Home: One Catholic’s Perspective (Mike Curren)
Discovering the Gold: Mutual Recognition in the Body of Christ (Kelly Fassett)
Koinonia Newsletter, published by Tom Ryan (Paulist Center)
Christ Our Peace: The Radical Concept of Christian Unity (Kelly Fassett)
Ecumenism on the Road (Kelly Fassett)
Stroller Christian Unity in Cambridgeport (Susan Butterworth)
Transforming Hostility into Enemy-Embracing Love – Sermon (Kelly Fassett)
What is “ecumenism”?
How Seriously Do We Take Jesus’ Words on the Need for Christian Unity?
The Catholic Understanding of Ecumenism
Orthodoxy and Inter-Christian Dialogue
Why Christian unity?
The Theological Foundations of Ecumenism
What do the different Christian traditions believe?
Denominations Comparison Chart
Why Charismatics and Calvinists Need Each Other
Our Evangelical Neighbors: A Catholic Reflection on Evangelical Christianity
What should I know before attending a service of another Christian tradition?
12 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Attending an Orthodox Church
Eight Questions Non-Catholics Almost Always Ask When They Attend Mass
What does Christian unity look like in Boston?
“The Quiet Revival”: New Immigrants and The Transformation of Christianity in Greater Boston
Lutheran/Catholic Joint Commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
Thursday Morning Men’s Breakfast
Greater Things for Greater Boston
What other organizations are working toward Christian unity in Boston?
Archdiocese of Boston, Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
The Greek-Orthodox Metropolis of Boston
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts Mission Hubs
Directory for inter-church organizations in Boston (forthcoming)
People Working Towards Christian Unity in Boston
What are some of the most significant, historic, or momentous documents in the movement toward unity?
The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Ecumenical Movement So Far
World Missionary Conference of Edinburgh 1910
Unity Statement -World Council of Churches
Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium
Who are some of the major organizations working toward Christian dialogue and unity?
Click on the photo below to watch the Ecumenism Alphabet Soup video
On the Path Toward Christian Unity
Which organizations are working toward Christian unity nationally?
National Workshop for Christian Unity
Which organizations are working toward Christian unity internationally?
Vatican Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Church of England Council for Christian Unity