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Many Orthodox Christians are wary of ecumenical spaces. Some believe ecumenism is a great heresy, erroneously equating it with religious syncretism. Still others believe the project is completely pointless. In the early years of the ecumenical movement, many worked in joyful anticipation that, by God’s grace, the numerous fractures and schisms in Christianity might finally be healed. Now, however, the dream of full eucharistic communion between disparate Christian communities seems increasingly unrealizable. The upshot is that many Orthodox Christians struggle to see the value of ecumenism. Many ask, ‘Is ecumenism worthwhile?’
This question was at the forefront of my mind when Fr. Bartholomew Mercado, the chaplain at Hellenic College Holy Cross (HCHC), encouraged me to participate in a new ecumenical initiative. A program co-sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Canadian Council of Churches, and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. The initiative I’m referring to is the North American-Turtle Island Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute (or NATI-RETI). The ambitious goal of this program was as follows. From August 3rd–16th, 2026 NATI-RETI would gather together a cohort of emerging theologians from various Christian communities in the United States and Canada. Phase one would take place in Detroit and phase two in Toronto. The participants would live in a tight-knit community for two weeks and undergo an intense, immersive study program focused on the overarching question, ‘Where Now for Visible Justice?’
I elected to attend NATI-RETI because I was intrigued by both the unique format of the program and the timely topics it would address. Importantly, I also hoped I might discover an answer to the vexing question posed above: ‘Is ecumenism worthwhile?’
After spending fourteen days fully immersed in an ecumenical space, rigorously exploring the most pressing social issues of our time, I have arrived at the following conclusion: ecumenism is, indeed, a worthwhile and absolutely vital endeavor. To understand why I think this, allow me to summarize some of my experiences at NATI-RETI.
During the training, we explored six pressing issues facing Christians living in North America: Climate Justice, Secularism and Laicity, Racism and Anti-Racism, Interfaith Dialogue, Solidarity with Indigenous Communities, and Wealth Disparity and Poverty. We explored these topics in a variety of creative ways. Numerous hours were dedicated to reading and discussing scholarly articles and books. Breaking up into smaller study groups, we analysed both Christian and non-Christian responses to these problems. We also attended multiple plenary sessions, led by leading academics.
Additionally, we participated in special exercises and site visits to supplement the academic activities. Notably, we visited the Freedom Dreams EcoVillage in Detroit and discovered how a small group of dedicated volunteers are transforming abandoned lots and piles of rubble into vibrant community gardens. We visited several historically significant destinations associated with the Underground Railroad, such as the Second Baptist Church of Detroit and Sandwich Baptist Church in Windsor and learned about their contribution to abolitionism. We visited the Toronto Bahá’i Center and engaged in complex interfaith dialogue. We walked through a former Mohawk residential school, now turned into a museum, and read first-hand accounts of survivors who had been ripped out of their homes and forced to undergo the most dehumanizing abuses and tortures imaginable.
These experiences helped me to identify four reasons why it’s vital for Orthodox Christians to remain involved in ecumenical work. First, we can learn a lot in ecumenical spaces. I learned how a small group of passionate Christians can slowly resurrect a dying community by teaching its young people carpentry and gardening skills and lovingly using these skills to transform a desolate neighborhood into a beautiful oasis. Imagine if Orthodox parishes invested in their communities in this way? I engaged in an in-depth discussion with members of the Bahá’i community and learned many practical ways we might better foster a sense of belonging in our churches. I learned from the lived experiences and perspectives of Indigenous people who continue to exemplify compassion, hope, and love despite the horrors of colonialism.
Second, we can share our rich theological and spiritual heritage in ecumenical spaces. Despite the rising number of inquirers flocking to our parishes, most people are still unfamiliar with Orthodoxy. At NATI-RETI, I got the chance to discuss the cosmological theology of St. Maximus the Confessor, the ecotheology of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the inspiring (noncolonial) missionary efforts of St. Herman of Alaska. I was also able to introduce the members of my cohort to our spiritual and liturgical tradition by reading the Trisagian prayers in Greek, and teaching everyone how to sing a Byzantine hymn. Virtually none of my cohort had encountered Orthodoxy before meeting me.
Third, we can model Christian love by participating in ecumenical spaces. In an increasingly polarized world filled with profound injustices, the Church should be at the front lines, teaching society how to show love and respect to those with whom we disagree. Actions, as they say, speak louder than words. We can preach to others, imploring them to be quick to listen and slow to speak. But it’s far more effective to exemplify this behavior. Orthodox Christians can model this by personally connecting with and building genuine friendships with people of different faith backgrounds.
Finally, we can partner with non-Orthodox people to address societal problems. We shall never achieve visible justice without working alongside others. We may not agree with our neighbors on essential matters, such as church polity or biblical interpretation or dogma. But we can still work together to feed and cloth the homeless, to be a voice for the marginalized and persecuted, and to stand up to bigotry and hatred in all its nefarious forms.
NATI-RETI showed me that ecumenism is most certainly worthwhile.
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