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Patristics and Catholic Social Thought: Hermeneutical Models for a Dialogue

chestnut: episcopacy as ‘focus of unity or cause of division.’ This is a valuable chapter, especially regarding the Lutheran and Anglican Churches’ positions on this issue. ‘Building and Breaking Communion’ (Chapter eight) offers some insightful, nuanced reflections on the meaning of ecclesiology, on communion/koinonia, and on the breaking of communion, which he argues can never completely happen between Christians, even if we strongly disagree over a matter. In the light of the bloodshed in the name of Christ that has occurred between people who all call themselves followers of Christ in history, this statement might be debatable. Chapter nine on ethics and communion as a ‘new frontier’ in ecumenism is a topical and important chapter, dealing with questions of ecumenical dialogue on ethical issues which causes challenges both between and within denominations, in particular on questions of human sexuality, in particular same sex relationships. He argues that while Christians should refrain from giving scandal to fellow Christians’ consciences, we must directly look to Jesus’ words and deeds as our ultimate criterion: ‘Jesus unreservedly embraced those whom the morally strict, within their theological and ritual framework, would have excluded’ (p. 175). Indeed! In many Christian churches we are yet awaiting such unreserved embrace. The concluding chapter, ‘Forging Communion in the Face of Difference,’ tries to grapple with the reality of an ever increasing diversity in the church and the imperative of unity founded on the love that Christ commanded. He returns to look at the aim of full visible unity/communion and with reference to William Reed Reddington’s ‘Appeal to All Christian People’ (1888), he outlines the basics for unity: ‘a common confession of the apostolic faith, grounded in scripture and set forth in the historic creeds; a common baptism and a single Eucharist; a common interchangeable ministry of word and sacrament and a common ministry of oversight’ (p. 198). Once these elements are given, we have the essentials for full visible unity. Here he notes how the Porvoo agreement has enabled the Lutheran and Anglican Churches to forge a large degree of communion in the face of confessional differences. In this volume Avis has assembled a coherent collection of previously published articles. Maybe the word ‘reshaping’ in the title is slightly too big a claim, as he tackles central issues that have been with us for decades and will continue to be part of the discussion. Nor is the book, or does it claim to be, a kind of ‘blueprint’ for the future. For students it provides thoughtful introductions to central topics in ecumenical theology, while scholars in the field will value it for its thoughtful taking stock, its concentration on essentials, its focusing on what fundamentally matters in the search for unity, and for providing some pointers for the future. This is a work of a minister and theologian to whom the church’s search for unity deeply matters.