La sensibilité œcuménique de Jerzy Klinger

This text was the warp of a speech at an international conference: “Jerzy Klinger - the Genius of Orthodoxy” - dedicated to one of the most active and versatile Orthodox theologians and ecumenists of the second half of the 20th century. The analysis of Jerzy Klinger's writings and ecumenical activity confirms that with the passage of time, many ideas and problems remain relevant and inspire further research. In his speeches, Klinger often revealed how, in relation to ecumenism, the Orthodox consciousness is, as it were, split (simultaneously enthusiasts and staunch opponents of the movement). He noted, that the two phases, which in the Catholic consciousness in relation to ecumenism were realized sequentially, in the Orthodox reality are realized simultaneously, overlapping. As an active participant in the ecumenical movement, he stressed that the Orthodox consciousness values most the very pursuit of unity, which can be nothing other than the voice of the Holy Spirit. He proposed that instead of the “catholicity” of the Church, there should be a new concept of “catholicity of the world.” Construed in this way, the term would become synonymous with Christian universalism.