Perspectief 2014-25

Perspectief 8 Communion in Taizé 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction of the research area The ecumenical movement is an interdenominational movement within Christianity. It aims at ecclesiastical unity, by getting involved in dialogue and cooperation on various levels. One presupposition, inherent to ecumenism being a movement, is that the individuals involved remain members of their own distinctive denominations, so that full unity is not realised until formal ecclesial communion is established. The ecumenical community of Taizé is in this sense extraordinary, that it has institutionalized its ecumenical relations and ideals. Still, the Taizé brothers remain members of their Churches of origin. The reconciliation of different denominations was the core intention of brother Roger Schutz, the founder of the Taizé community. The community started out as an interdenominational brotherhood that sought to live in a very practical way the Gospel of Jesus. Thus, the brothers cared for Jews and other refugees during WW II and afterwards also for German prisoners-of-war. Soon after the war, the community began to attract young people from all over Europe, seeking to be inspired by the spirituality of the community. Today, Taizé receives thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. People live the rhythm of the monastery together with the brothers for one or more weeks, a rhythm marked by the daily prayers, austerity and an atmosphere of reconciliation. However, like mentioned before, this institutionalized ecumenism is extraordinary. It operates on the frontiers of the different ecclesial traditions it brings together. It is a situation that is likely to raise questions. After his death in 2005, speculations arose that brother Roger would have converted to Catholicism in secret, even that he was ordained a priest. Denying a formal conversion of brother Roger to Catholicism, his successor brother Alois responded: “Since his approach was progressive and