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Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
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"ECUMENISM NEEDS CLEAR ORIENTATION AND FOCUS"
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
"Depicting the present state of the ecumenical movement in terms of crisis
has become a general trend; I do not share this approach" stated His
Holiness Aram I. He said that "seeking new vision, redefining its
orientation, revising its agenda, restructuring its programmatic priorities
are integral to the very nature of the ecumenical movement". Catholicos
Aram, who has served 15 years a Moderator of the World Council of Churches,
reminded that "with ecumenism we are dealing with movement, not institution,
with vision not programme, with fellowship, not with management". Hence,
according to Aram I reducing the ecumenical movement to its institutional
expression will be the end of it.
Aram I believes that the ecumenical movement must remain "restless, in
permanent crisis, seeking new ways of articling its vision". However, for
Aram I the ecumenical movement is actually "disoriented, its focus is not
clear and its raison d’être has become shaky. Here is the problem". In his
view this situation is largely due to "non-committal ecumenism of the
churches, as well as the shift of interest from church unity related issues
to moral-ethical matters, inter-religious dialogue and confessional
ecumenism".
His Holiness stressed the need for a "credible, relevant, reliable and
responsive ecumenism, an ecumenism with which the churches can identify
themselves". Aram I said that the discussion on the reconfiguration of the
ecumenical movement that the WCC started must continue with the active
participation of the churches.
These views of Aram I were shared with a few reporters at the end of the
meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue
between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Charities which was
held at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon, from 27-30
January 2010.
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.