Perspectief 2014-25

Perspectief 28 Communion in Taizé 4 Theological reflection After having completed the first two steps of this investigation, describing the practice and positioning it within the legal framework of the Catholic Church, it is time to reflect on it from the perspective of systematic theology. Starting point of my reflection is the communio ecclesiology as expressed by Cardinal Kurt Koch in his speech at the International Eucharistic Conference (IEC) of 2012, complemented with his ecclesiology Die Kirche Gottes and his book on ecumenism Dass Alle Eins sein . Koch is a theologian in the school of Ratzinger and a prominent in the dominant reception of Vatican II. Since 2010, Koch is also the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. As such, his ecclesiology is of great significance for the ecumenical dialogue. In paragraph 4.1 I reflect on ecumenism in general and the Taizé practice in general from Koch’s ecclesiology. The necessity of visible ecclesial unity for table sharing is supported by this ecclesiology. The ecumenical approach of Taizé stresses other presuppositions, as I will demonstrate in paragraph 4.2. I use this paragraph to introduce the view of Taizé as expressed by the current prior of Taizé, brother Alois. Based on his lecture, deliverd at the IEC 2012 too, I will let the Taizé practice reflect on Catholic theology as well. 4.1 Catholic ecclesiology, Eucharist and ecumenism 4.1.1 Communion ecclesiology Cardinal Koch, together with his tutor Ratzinger and his predecessor as president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Cardinal Walter Kasper, belongs to the dominant strand of reception of Vatican II that favors the concept of