The 500th anniversary of the Reformation

Abstract

The 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 represents a challenge as well as an opportunity for contemporary ecumenism. The challenge is how to remember the Reformation in a way that neither entrenches the divisions of the past nor denies the seriousness of the issues that lay at its heart. Responding to that challenge might begin by identifying within the Reformation a striving for renewal and unity in the gospel. That would underline the importance of repentance in seeking Christian unity. It would emphasize the need to address the current distance between ecumenical ecclesiology on the one hand and the theology and practice of mission on the other. Finally, it would point to the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ for ecumenical thinking about gospel and Church. Together, these points could form a significant agenda for contemporary ecumenism.