Some important dates for ecumenism
The following dates give an idea of the variety of ecumenical approaches taken since the beginning of the 20th century.
1910: Conference of the Protestant Missionary Societies in Edinburgh, beginnings of inter-confessional ecumenism;
1921: Beginnings of the ‘Conversations at Malines’ to promote the dialogue between Anglicans and Catholics – initiated jointly by Cardinal Désiré Mercier, Catholic archbishop of Malines-Brussels, Lord Halifax (Anglican) and Father Fernand Portal (Catholic).
1925: First Universal Ecumenical Conference, called on social Christianity or practical Christianity, named ‘Life and Work’, in Stockholm (Sweden).
1927: First ‘Faith and Order’ Conference in Lausanne (Switzerland)
1936: On the initiative of Father Couturier the Universal Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was launched following the Week of Prayer for Unity which deplored the mistakes of the Reformation.
1937: First Inter-confessionnal meeting of the Dombes Group
1948: First assembly of the ecumenical World Council of Churches in Amsterdam.
1960: Pope John XXIII created the Secretariat for Christian unity, followed by Vatican II Council (1962-1965).
1964: Meeting of Pope Paul VI and Athenagoras, the ecumenical Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople.
1966: Visit of Pope Paul VI to the World Council of Churches.
1971: First Anglican-Catholic agreements on the Eucharist.
1973: Leuenberg Agreement between the European Lutheran and Reformed Churches on ecclesial communion.
1975: Ecumenical translation of the Bible into French.
1982: ‘Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry’ document of Lima.
1987: Reuilly Agreements between Anglicans and Lutherans for practical ecclesial communions.
1991: Programme ‘Justice, peace and safeguarding the creation’ of the World Council of Churches.
1999: The common Lutheran-Roman Catholic declaration on the ‘Doctrine of justification’ was signed in Augsburg, Germany.
2001: The European ecumenical charter was signed.
2001: Signature of the Reuilly Accords of recognition and commitment to strengthen their communion between the Churches of Great Britain and Ireland and the Reformed and Lutheran Churches of France.
2013: Report of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic commission on unity entitled ‘From conflict to communion’.
2016: 31 October in the cathedral of Lund (Sweden), common commemoration of the Reformation between Catholics and Lutherans; a joint declaration was signed by Pope Francis and the President of the World Lutheran Federation bishop Munib Younan (Palestine).
Associated tours
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Ecumenical progress
Ecumenism manifests itself at various levels and in different ways (meetings, agreements, joint actions) and involves partners of various Christian faiths, often on a bilateral basis. The present notice recalls...
Associated notes
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French Reformed Church
The French Reformed Church (Eglise Réformée de France) was founded in 1938 ; its origins go back to the XVIth century to the reformed Churches which were set up by Jean... -
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of France
In 1808, quite a large Lutheran community in Paris consisting of foreigners became a Church which was connected to Strasbourg. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of France was established in France...