The Church’s Visible Unity as an Ecumenical Goal

The ecumenical movement’s basic purpose is to seek Christian unity. In facing the challenge of mission and ecumenism today, it is important to explicate how the ecumenical movement understands unity currently, and how the concept may have changed. This article’s hypothesis is that the goal of the church’s visible unity has changed less than appearances might suggest. The concept is now generally understood more holistically in ecumenical theology. In this article, a historical-systematic analysis focuses on the concept of visible unity, especially in the unity statements of the Assemblies of the World Council of Churches. An analysis of ecumenical models of unity and ways of realising churches’ unity in practice follows, as well as a reflection on the turns created by the latest ecumenical debate. The analysis confirms that the visible unity remains a central ecumenical goal in the quest for Christian unity. The turn towards holistic ecumenism seems to help address those who shun institutional ecumenism, without forgetting the Trinitarian and Christological theological basis and the institutional dimension. Diversity is not arbitrary: at its best it supports creativity and trust, freeing individuals for common witness and service.