ABCUSA General Secretary A. Roy Medley is currently attending the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, taking place in Busan, Republic of Korea, from October 30-November 8, 2013. Periodically, he will share updates with the American Baptist family, made available at www.abc-usa.org. Photos used with permission from Peter Williams and Joanna Lindén-Montes/World Council of Churches.
World Council of Churches Assembly, Tuesday, November 5, 2013
What Fed Me Today
A Pentecostal friend shared his delight in the fact that the previous night’s closing worship had been led by the Full Gospel Church.
Our opening prayer addressed the Holy Spirit: “Come, Holy Spirit, true light. Come, hidden mystery. Come treasure without a name. Come, happiness without end. Come, awaited of all those who are to be saved. Come, O Invisible One. Come, beloved name, everywhere repeated. Come, my breath and my life. Come, consolation of my poor soul. Come, my joy, my glory, without end.”
What Challenged Me Today
During the plenary on unity, we were addressed by a representative of the Orthodox Church who lovingly but honestly spoke of the barriers to unity that remain between many confessions, including the understanding of the Lord’s Supper, ecclesiology, and moral theology. He was followed by Dr. Neville Callam, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance who spoke of the genuine progress that has been made on matters of faith and order represented by “Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry.” These are truly the tensions in the ecumenical journey: the continued reality of separation and the reality of hope based in Christ and his high priestly prayer that we might all be one. There is also added joy and complexities of the increasing willingness of Pentecostals and non-conciliar evangelicals to enter into the journey with us.
What Was New Today
A workshop on the continued human rights and religious liberty issues in Burma that Rothang Chhangte and I led attracted folks from several different nations and afforded some excellent networking possibilities with them and their churches about these issues.
A. Roy Medley
