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Press Release 10/30e10.06.10 13:32  Churches in Dialogue Commission of CEC, June 2010 (Photo:CEC) Visions on unity challenging ecumenism today The topic, Visions on Unity, is seen as one of the most challenging in ecumenism today. The Churches in Dialogue Commission (CiD) of the Conference of European Churches’ (CEC) discussion on this theme included three presentations given by Rev. Dr Andreas Hunziker, Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, Bishop Dr Matti Repo, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland, and Rev. Dr Sorin Selaru, Romanian Orthodox Church on the topic of Visions on the Unity of the Church. The discussion was very much appreciated by all participants and this exercise expressed the willingness of the members of this commission to discuss together matters of faith, to listen to each other and to respect each other’s opinion in spite of differences. The discussion focused on the following issues: unity and fellowship/communion and unity and diversity. The question of “limits of diversity” was also considered and it was underlined that diversity is not to be understood in a negative way: therefore it could be better expressed as “otherness”. Another issue discussed was the question of unity based on the confession of fundamental faith truths. The CiD will continue reflecting on these issues at its future meetings. The CiD met at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland, from the 7th to the 10th of June 2010. His Eminence Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Ecumenical Patriarchate) was elected Moderator of the Commission and Canon Elizabeth Fisher (Church of England) was elected Vice-Moderator. The Commission also established an Executive Committee made up of four members: the Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Prof. Dr Friederike Nüssel, Evangelical Church in Germany, and Rev. Dr Andreas Hunziker. To build up the fellowship of the new CiD Commission members, there was a special session introducing the work of CEC and the work of the CiD. The Commission evaluated the work of the Researcher in European Mission, Ms Kyriaki Avtzi, and strongly recommended the continuation of this post. The working priorities of the CiD Commission for 2011 were approved and include: promoting the issue of church unity, promoting the spirit of the Charta Oecumenica, representing the common voice of the churches vis-à-vis the European Institutions and promoting inclusive communities. The Commission received reports from the Director and the Researcher in Mission. On Tuesday morning, the 8th of June, the Commission was welcomed by the Rev. Dr. Ioan Sauca, the Director of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. The CiD meeting in 2011 will take place at the end of June in Budapest, Hungary. The members of the CiD Commission are: Staff: ***** The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 120 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg. For more information:
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