WYCT - Study Day

On 23^rd October 2019, West Yorkshire Churches Together held a study day on  Receptive Ecumenism at Hinsley Hall in Leeds. Revd Nick Shields ( WYCT) was in the Chair, with the Revd Glenn Coggins ( Leeds DEO) attending.

Dr. Gregory Ryan Assistant Professor (Research) in Receptive Ecumenism and Ecclesiology at Durham University gave an excellent review.

‘The essential principle behind Receptive Ecumenism is that the primary ecumenical responsibility is to ask not "What do the other traditions first need to learn from us?" but "What do we need to learn from them?" The assumption is that if all were asking this question seriously and acting upon it then all would be moving in ways that would both deepen our authentic respective identities and draw us into more intimate relationship. The goal of traditional ecumenism, visible unity through theological and ecclesial convergence, is put aside in favour of an ecumenism of mutual enrichment and self-examination. The way forward?"

During the day, participants learned that as we study our internal dynamics these may then be applied to our dialogues and relationship. In an age of pluralism, many contemporary issues are best pursued ecumenically rather than on a church-by- church basis.