Ecumenical group affirms relationship with Vatican

One of the world's most recent ecumenical entities, the Global
Christian Forum, has met in Rome with Vatican officials, affirming the
journey together in the search for Christian unity.

In his first
forum committee meeting since becoming secretary of the GCF at the start
of the year, Larry Miller said the invitation to meet with the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and hold subsequent
conversations indicated "a consolidation of the shared commitment to
build bridges between all churches."

After the late January
meeting, Miller said, "Our relationship with the Catholic Church is of
the highest order." The GCF brings together a broad range of Chris­tian
communions, traditions and organizations, including the World Coun­cil
of Churches, the World Evan­gelical Alli­ance, the Pentecostal World
Fellow­ship and the Catholic Church through the Vatican's Pontifical
Council for Pro­moting Chris­tian Unity.

During the Rome meeting,
Pope Ben­e­dict XVI welcomed the GCF during the vespers service at St.
Paul Outside the Walls basilica, marking the conclusion of the Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity.

Bishop Brian Farrell of the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity told the GCF committee that he
deeply appreciated the goodwill and the vision behind the Global
Christian Forum, even if at first it was "not necessarily love at first
sight."

Affirming the GCF's presence and progress, Farrell said it
was important to articulate theologically and programmatically the
movement's work. "The ecumenical task and the theological dialogue,
while going on for so long, must continue to produce results," the
bishop said.

In the wake of the previous two global gatherings—in
Limuru, Kenya (2007), and Manado, Indonesia (2011)—Miller said, "we will
now consider the journey so far, as well as continue our work to bring
Christians from across the entire spectrum of churches together at
global, regional, and national levels." —ENInews