Perspectief 2015-27

Perspectief 26 Mgr. Johan Bonny mogelijkheden en beperkingen van toen? Misschien zou het vandaag niet meer lukken. Van het brede perspectief van Unitatis Redintegratio is veel nog niet gerealiseerd, ondanks de soms hooggespannen verwachtingen. Belangrijk lijkt me daarom dat we van Unitatis Redintegratio zowel de geest als de letter blijven vasthouden. Meer dan restauratie heeft Unitatis Redintegratio vandaag vooral nog receptie nodig. Abstract: 50 Years Unitatis Redintegratio On 29 November 2014 the National Ecumenical Commission of Belgium met in Tournai and paid attention to the publication 50 years ago of the Decree on ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio. The Bishop of Antwerp, Msgr Johan Bonny, a former official of the Council for Promoting Christian Unity, gave the key address. He looked back on the impressive performance of the Council, which produced a remarkable text, in spite of the difficulties that surrounded the discussions. He highlights some important points of the Decree, such as ‘non perfect communion’ (in relation to subsistit in and the notion of elementa ecclesiae ), the concept and practice of ‘dialogue’, the positive approach of the Churches of the East, which are called ‘sister churches’, and the ‘Churches and ecclesial communities’ of the West. He concludes that much of the broad perspective of Unitatis Redintegratio is still to be realized, despite the sometimes high expectations at the time. Therefore, it seems important that we stick both to the letter and the spirit of Unitatis Redintegratio . Today, reception of Unitatis Redintegratio is more needed than restauration.