In Echoes Of Nicaea, Christian Leaders Convene To Renew Call For Unity
WADI EL NATRUN, Egypt — A special ecumenical gathering featuring various Christian traditions opened on Friday — the start of a five-day conference that aims to engage in dialogue that will bring with it broader unity much like the Council of Nicaea did 1,700 years ago.
“It is not an attempt to eliminate or dissolve differences — but rather to discover the profound faith uniting the church,” Pope Tawadros, the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, told a gathering of 400 people inside the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Organized by the World Council of Churches, the World Conference on Faith and Order is only the sixth time it has taken place since 1927 when the first was held in Lausanne, Switzerland. This year’s conference — under the heading “Where now for visible unity? — coincides with the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
READ: Why Is This 1,700-Year-Old Creed So Important?
The venue for the conference – located not far from Alexandria in a desolate region that Coptic Christians consider sacred because of its monasteries dating back to the fourth century — brought together 160 Christian leaders who serve as delegates from across different denominations.
Pope Tawadros was welcomed by the Rev. Dr Stephanie Dietrich, moderator of the Faith and Order commission, and Rev. Dr Jerry Pillay, who serves as the WCC’s general secretary.
In her opening remarks, Dietrich said the Council of Nicaea was the first ecumenical assembly of the global church in an effort to bring Christians together.
“The very memory of Nicaea stands behind our meeting and gives weight to our work,” she added.
The Council of Nicaea, held in 325 CE, was convened by Emperor Constantine. Its main goal was to achieve unity in Christian doctrine, especially about the nature of Jesus Christ. The council condemned Arianism — the belief that Jesus was a created being and not fully divine — and was highlighted by the Nicene Creed, establishing the trinity as a foundational Christian belief.
“The council also established a new model ecumenical ecclesiastical dialogue, bringing together bishops from around the world and establishing the principal that faith is determined through universal councils, not individual opinions,” Tawadros said, adding it marked “not merely a theological event, it was an historic moment.”
Pillay, a member of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, also invoked the spirit of the Council of Nicaea and hoped the meetings would focus on “a shared quest for unity and solidarity.”
Christian ecumenism is a movement that aims to promote unity and cooperation among the many different Christian denominations. The WCC, established in 1948 and currently headquartered in Geneva, describes itself as “a worldwide fellowship of 352 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service.”
Over the coming days, leaders will attend a series of panel discussions and workshops. They plan to tackle a series of topics, including the church’s role in the world, growing societal polarization, immigration and climate change. Other matters, such as settling on a common date for Easter, are also on the agenda.
The WCC is expected to issue a final report following the gathering.
In his remarks, Pillay also praised the venue, calling it “a very precious experience for all of us to be guests in this environment of Orthodox spirituality, in Wadi Natrun, the birthplace of monasticism, and I am sure that this spiritual setting will have a great impact on our conference.”
Pope Tawadros, in his role as host, said the Council of Nicaea was the start of a turning point in defining Orthodoxy as well as formulating the universal doctrine passed down by the church over the centuries.
“Recalling the Council of Nicaea is not merely a celebration of the past,” he said. “It is a renewed call to remain steadfast in the apostolic faith and to be open to constructive dialogue that unites the churches on the path toward true unity, based on truth and love.”
Pope Tawadros admitted that a path towards unity will not easy — with schisms in the centuries following Nicaea fragmenting the church — but struck an optimistic tone.
“Such divisions can only be healed through theological dialogue,” he said.
Clemente Lisi is executive editor of Religion Unplugged.