Christian Union? An Orthodox Christian's Guide to Ecumenism: Past, Present and Future

The issue of how people of different religions relate to each other is rarely out of the news, with many modern day conflicts fuelled by religious disputes. Many Christians are convinced that only compromise in religious beliefs can result in lasting unity and peace. This assumption drives the movement for union between Christian denominations called ecumenism.

Ecumenism tries to overcome divisions among religions by theological compromise; all major non-Orthodox Churches and most Orthodox Churches support it in some form or other. Churches that promote ecumenism do not accept that the Orthodox Church is the Body of Christ and that She expresses the Christian Faith perfectly. As a result, any proposed ecumenical compromise will not be based on truth. It is this denial of truth that ensures that ecumenism, modernism and compromise will never be a solution to the issue of religious conflict. It is only by changing ourselves, within the Orthodox Church, that we can change the world around us. In this brief guide we discuss the history of ecumenism and the effects of modernism on the Orthodox Church.

In the FAQ section we try to provide some practical answers to the problems faced by Orthodox Christians living in an increasingly ecumenical world. Using the writings of the Church Fathers we explore how it is possible to reject the compromise of ecumenism but still witness to the truth of the Orthodox Faith with love and compassion.

Christian Union? is written in an approachable style and discusses the history of ecumenism and more everyday matters that concern Orthodox Christians living in the world. The book is A5 in size, 85 pages long with 15 black and white illustrations and 2 full colour plates.