Reclaiming the Spirit of Life and Work for Ecumenical Renewal

Abstract This article considers the legacy of the Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work, which met in Stockholm in 1925, for the contemporary ecumenical movement. It asks whether the World Council of Churches and the wider ecumenical movement can reconnect with the spirit of the Life and Work movement, especially that of its first decade or so, to inspire a comprehensive understanding of ecumenical social thought and action in response to contemporary challenges and opportunities. It argues that responses to today's global challenges can build on four foundational principles inspired by the Life and Work movement: creatively reimagining the spirits of the time; embodying an incarnational presence; mobilizing ecumenical efforts for meaningful and empowered action; and recommitting to the principles of life, peace, and justice that were central to the Life and Work movement.