All sessions and the banquet will be held at St. James the Apostle (Anglican). Please see map below.
Conference Schedule
Friday
7 PM
Call to Order & Opening Prayer Rev. Dr. Thomas F. Best
9 PM
Reception
Saturday
8 AM
Doors open
9 AM
Dr. Gregory Baum
10:30 AM
Break
10:45 AM
Hegumen Philip Riabykh
12:15
Lunch
Board Meeting
1:30 PM
Panel Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton Dr. Daniel Cere Rev. Dr. Gilles Routhier Rev. Dr. Peter Galadza
3:00 PM
Essay Winner Sheryl Johnson
3:15 PM
Business Meeting
4:00 PM
Free time
6:30 PM
Hor d’Ouerves
7:30 PM
Banquet Dr. Margaret O’Gara
Sunday
9:00 AM
Dr. Catherine E. Clifford
10:30 AM
Adjourn for Worship
12:15 PM
Board Meeting
Travel to and from the airport
Starting last spring, Montreal public transit (http://www.stm.info) began to offer a local bus from the airport (international arrivals level) to downtown. It is called 747 Express.
Take the bus from airport to the first Metro stop (Lionel Groulx, approx 20 minutes on the freeway)
Switch to the Metro (subway) and travel to the Atwater station.
The basic fare for this service is $7 each way exact change only, however, it is also possible to buy a 3-day Metro pass at the airport (international arrivals level, at the currency exchange booth) for only $14. This will allow full use of the Metro between the hotel and the conference location as well as any other travel in the city, and the trips from airport to hotel and back.
Weather permitting, some people might want to get around Montreal using the BIXI bicycle rental service. There are stations near the hotel as well as near the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism. Many streets now have reserved bicycle lanes (with barriers to protect the cyclists from traffic). The bikes can be rented for short commutes and dropped anywhere. See http://www.bixi.com/.
Additional travel information to and from the airport:
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport to The Residence Inn by Marriott.
1- Taxi at a flat rate of $38.00 (each direction). This flat rate applies to trips to and from Montreal downtown area. The ride is approximately 25 minutes with reasonable traffic; if you are traveling during rush hour, please expect 45-60 minutes.
2- The L’Aerobus Shuttle bus runs between the Trudeau Airport and downtown Montreal. The bus stops downtown at the Central Bus Station (505 de Maisonneuve Blvd. E at the Berri-UQAM metro station). From here, you may take a taxi to the hotel (10 minutes) or use the metro (subway) using the green line and getting off at Atwater metro station. L’Aerobus Shuttle bus tickets are available at the arrivals level at the airport or at the Central Bus Station for approximately $15.00 one way or $25.00 return for the 45-minute trip (adult fares). Please call 514.842.2281 for more info.
New and Renewed Strategies for the Ecumenical Mission
The Centenary of the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh 1910, the onset of the modern ecumenical movement, is an introspective moment for many who are seeking direction for Christian mission in the 21st century. Based on a critical assessment of the status of the world, a new vision of God's purposes for creation in Christ, a renewed spirituality and mission ethos need to be developed in the life of the churches worldwide.
This Montreal conference will explore ways of witnessing to Christ while acknowledging the religious plurality in a secular society. What is the meaning of "world evangelisation" today? How do we bear witness to the uniqueness of Jesus in a multi-religious world?
These and related questions will be explored in presentations from Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and Independent perspectives. Participants will have the opportunity to offer insights from their own traditions in small group discussions and open dialogue.
Register for the Meeting using the Menu Conferences.
FRIDAY EVENING, September 24
“A Century of Ecumenical Engagement: The Legacy of Edinburgh 1910”
Rev. Dr. Thomas F. Best
Former Director and staff member, Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches (1984-2007) former Director, Institut zur Erforschung des Urchristentums (Institute for the Study of Christian Origins), Tübingen, Germany
Mission is integral to the nature and life of the Church. But what does this mean in the 21st century, in an era when the “old” world seems to be abandoning the Gospel in favor of secularism? We need urgently an ecumenical mission practice which would call the churches to new levels of mutual accountability and practical acts of common mission.
SATURDAY MORNING, September 25
“Secularization: Challenges to Christianity”
Dr. Gregory Baum
Professor Emeritus of Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Montreal Former Editor of The Ecumenist (1962-2004)
The separation of church and state is widening rapidly in Western society. In the name of progress, secularization and hyper-individualism have become the objective. In a society that welcomes and protects immigrants and their religious cultures through a Charter of Rights, is Christianity still accorded the same benefit?
“The Orthodox Engagement in Ecumenism”
Hegumen Philip Riabykh
Vice-Chairman, Department of External Church Relations, Moscow Patriarchate, Moscow
How does the Patriarchate envision its role in interchurch dialogue, and with other Orthodox? How important are relations with other World Religions?
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, September 25
Panel Reflections: Ecumenical Implications…
…Councils of Churches
Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton Secretary General, Canadian Council of Churches
…Academia
Dr. Daniel Cere Assistant Professor of Religion, Ethics and Law Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Quebec Director of the Institute for the Study of Marriage Law and Culture Co-director of the Newman Institute of Catholic Studies Rev. Dr. Gilles Routhier Professor of Theology Faculty of Theology & Religious Science Université Laval, Quebec
…Bilateral Dialogues
Rev. Dr. Peter Galadza Professor of Liturgy, Faculty of Theology Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies Saint Paul University, Ottawa
SATURDAY EVENING BANQUET, September 25
“Witnessing the Ecumenical Future Together”
Dr. Margaret O’Gara, Banquet Speaker Professor of Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of St. Michael's College, Toronto
What does the future hold for Christians? Are we on the verge of an ecumenical spring? Will the Christian message have greater impact on the world? Is our sense of mission up to the challenge?
SUNDAY MORNING, September 26
"Unity and Mission in 2010: The Changing Face of Global Christianity"
Dr. Catherine E. Clifford Associate Professor of Systematic and Theology and Vice Dean in the Faculty of Theology, Saint Paul University, Ottawa
In the past century the changing consciousness of global Christianity has had a profound impact on the way in which the churches understand their place in the world. The paper will attempt to sketch some of the significant developments in the understanding of the mission and identity of the Church of Christ since Edinburgh, 1910, and their implications in the search for Christian unity.
The conferences will be presented mostly in English. All speakers are bilingual; questions and discussions are welcome in both languages.
A complete information package will be mailed to you upon receipt of confirmed registration.
North American Academy of Ecumenists Académie des Oecuménistes de l'Amérique du Nord
The 2010 Student Essay Contest
New and Renewed Strategies for the Ecumenical Mission
On the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement at the Edinburgh Missionary Conference, students in professional or graduate programs in Theology and Religious Studies are invited to consider how best to promote Christian unity today. Each contestant's conclusions should be presented in a scholarly essay of moderate length (20-30 pages, double spaced). It is permissible for essays written for course credit to be submitted as contest entries.
June 15, 2010 DEADLINE
The author of the winning essay will receive an award of $250 and funding to attend the 2010 NAAE conference in Montreal, PQ, CANADA, September 24-26, where he or she will be invited to present a précis of the essay. The Journal of Ecumenical Studies publishes winning essays of sufficient scholarly merit.
Requirements: The essays will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: (1) awareness of the significance of the topic for the ecumenical movement; (2) soundness of argument (both from a logical and from a theological perspective); (3) use of primary sources (church documents, agreed statements from the World Council of Churches and ecumenical dialogues at the national or international levels); (4) familiarity with the relevant secondary literature; (5) creativity of approach to the theme and (6) scholarly style. In awarding points, readers will take into account the level of studies at which the entrant is currently working.
Submission: Essays (in English or French) and a brief biographical sketch of the author should be submitted (electronically if possible, preferably in MS Word format) by June 15, 2010 to the Essay Co-ordinator, Dr. Susan Mader Brown, at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or at the following address: King’s University College at the University of Western Ontario 266 Epworth Ave., London, Ontario, CANADA N6A 2M3
Selected Resources
1. Gros, Jeffrey, Eamon McManus, Ann Riggs. “The History of Ecumenism.” In Introduction to Ecumenism, 9-34. New York: Paulist, 1998
2. Kinnamon, Michael and Brian E. Cope, eds. The Ecumenical Movement: An Anthology of Basic Texts and Voices. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997.
3. Rouse, Ruth, Stephen Neill, and Harold Fey, eds. A History of the Ecumenical Movement 1517-1968. 2 vols. 2nd ed. with rev. bibliography. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1967-1970.
4. Briggs, John, Mercy Amba Oduyoye and George Tsetsis, eds. A History of the Ecumenical Movement, 1968-2000. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 2004.
The meeting will be held in Washington, D. C. at the Washington Theological Union. Lodging will be available at the Paulist House nearby. Transportation between the two locations will be provided.
Agenda
Friday
7:00 PM
Michael Root: Ethical Issues Addressed in Ecumenical Dialogues
Stanley Harakas: What Eastern Orthodox Ethics Can Offer Ecumenism
9:00 PM
Reception
Saturday
9:00 AM
Timothy Sedgwick: Human Sexuality
10:30 AM
John Crossin: A Summary of Ecumenically Shaped Ethics
Drs Michael Kinnamon and Peter Bouteneff, two of the presenters at the St Louis 2008, have shared some of the core ideas of their presentations. The presentations are slated for publication in the Journal of Ecumenical Studies in the 2009 volume. NAAE members for 2008-2009 are subscribed to receive the four issues in this volume. Please activate your membership before March 1 to receive the 2009 volume without additional postage fees.
Peter Bouteneff addressed the question of neutral language concerning ecclesiology. Here is the appendix of his paper:
Appendix:
A) some possible illustrations of ecclesiologically neutral language, as contrasted with ecclesiologically biased language
Ecclesiologically neutral statements:
Ecclesiologically biased statements:
What we seek -
§ Christian unity
§ The visible unity of Christians
§ Unity in Christ's body
What we seek -
§ That the Church may be one
§ The visible unity of the Church
§ The unity of Christ's body
The Church is -
§ the Body of Christ. Each of us may see our relationship to each other and to that body differently.
The Church is -
§ the Body of Christ visibly divided into churches and confessional traditions
The churches (the Christian bodies we behold today) are -
§ bodies which seek unity in the Body of Christ
The churches (the Christian bodies we behold today) are -
§ parts of the Church
§ branches of the Church
§ members of the Body of Christ
We, gathered ecumenically, are
§ Christians gathered together in the pursuit of unity
We, gathered ecumenically, are -
§ God's universal Church gathered in pursuit of its own unity
B) An approach towards making explicit the different understandings of "the Church" and "the churches."
We affirm together that the Church, in its universal dimension, is a koinonia of local churches - a unity in diversity; a diversity in unity. Nonetheless, we understand differently how our respective churches relate to the One Universal Church, and therefore do not agree as to what "local churches" refers to. To some, "local churches" are the different denominations around the table. Others use "local churches" only to refer to the local churches of their own respective communions. Our common affirmation of universal and local levels, and of unity in diversity, is significant, and needs further exploration and articulation. But if this exploration is to bear fruit, it must account for what we are genuinely affirming in common, as well as for the different meanings we derive from it. If we persist in using the same phrases to refer to different realities, our dialogue will not genuinely progress.
Michael Kinnamon listed 14 attributes of ecumenical ecclesiology as discerned through conciliar statements and bilateral dialogues. In what follows, only the opening sentence of each attribute is provided; the paper provides a fuller treatment of each item.
Elements of an Ecumenical Consensus on Ecclesiology
I tried to have a good holy number, like seven or twelve; but, in fact, I have fourteen points. Some of them could have been combined, but I left them separate for the sake of emphasis. The points are not necessarily in order of importance, although the first three and the last are clearly foundational. That I have put ministry eighth probably reveals that I am the Disciples presenter on the evening's program, not the Orthodox! Each element I will name is grounded in the texts to which I referred and is widely affirmed in literature of the ecumenical movement.
1. The church is, most fundamentally, a gift of God, a creation of the Word of the Holy Spirit.
2. The nature of the church is best expressed as koinonia
3. The church is inherently one. Division not only contradicts the church's witness but is a denial of its very nature.
4. To make explicit what has been implied, the unity that is ours in Christ is inherently diverse.
5. The church's unity is not simply a matter of invisible, spiritual relationship but mustfind visible expression, "that the world may believe" (John 17).
6. Koinonia is expressed in the relationship of the local and universal church; or, to say it more directly, the universal church is a communion of local churches, in each of which the fullness of the church resides.
7. Shared confession of the apostolic faith and common participation in baptism and eucharist are "tangible signs" of the koinonia described a above.
8. The discussion of koinonia points toward a ministry that serves the unity of the community while also being part of it. Through their participation in Christ, all Christians are part of a royal priesthood; but that, by no means, negates the need for a representative ministry that serves to build up the body.
9. The church is, by its very nature, missionary - "called and sent to serve, as an instrument of the Word and the Spirit, as a witness to the Kingdom of God."
10. Both proclamation of the gospel (evangelism) and promotion of justice and peace are central to the calling of the missionary church.
11. "The church, as the creation of God's Word and Spirit, is a mystery, sign, and instrument of what God intends for the salvation of the world."20. It is (is to be) a "foretaste" of the day, promised in scripture (e.g., Ephesians 1), when all of creation is brought into "full communion" with God.
12. The church is both an eschatological reality, already anticipating the Reign of God, and an historical reality, "exposed to the ambiguities of all human history and therefore [in need of] constant repentance and renewal in order to respond fully to its vocation."
13. Authority exercised in the church, consistent with its character as koinonia, is "relational and interdependent."
14. The church does not exist for its own sake. It exists "for the glory and praise of God,to serve the reconciliation of humankind, in obedience to the command of Christ."
Conferences
NAAE Facebook Page