Missionary Oblate Ecumenism Goes Digital
When Jesus prayed at the Last Supper “that all be one, that the world may believe,” (Jo. 17:21), He alerted us to the scandal of division among Christians. At the Second Vatican Council, some fifty years ago, our bishops issued a clarion call for missionaries especially to work for the unity of Christians.Then came the discovery that we share so much with other faiths, especially the Jewish, Islamic and other religions. Dialogue with them became a necessity for Christians interested in missionary work.
Yet how do we avoid the error that all religions are the same? Oblates have been working hard for the close relationship and yet distinction of Mission, Unity and Dialogue. The website “Oblate Ecumenism,” with the encouragement of Provincial William Antone, has recently been reworked as “Mission, Unity and Dialogue” (MUD). Perhaps someday Oblates, all Christians, and all people of good will shall see MUD as important as Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC). There has already been linkage between the former Oblate Ecumenism website, and the JPIC website; now there can be more.
Oblate missiologists John Staak and Ron Young join Oblate ecumenist Harry Winter in responsibility for the website.