By Janice Shaw Crouse
While the WCC struggles to develop a Common Understanding and Vision, evangelicals within
the WCC are coalescing across the spectrum of Protestant denominations to build networks
with Orthodox and Pentecostal believers.
Those trying to navigate this stream at the 8th assembly have found it to be as
exhilarating as a white water trip down the Zambezi.
Representatives from different groups are trying to forge alliances that, they hope, will
bring ecumenism back into the mainstream of biblical orthodoxy. The biggest problem has
been figuring out ways to steer clear of the shoals that threaten unity.
The man invited to the assembly to navigate that passage is Canon Dr Vinay Samuel, who is
coordinator of the observer team of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Mission
Theologians (INFEMIT).
In addition to the INFEMIT team, there is a six-member team of evangelicals representing
the Association for Church Renewal (ACR), a North American group of church renewal
executives and board members.
Groups such as the World Evangelical Fellowship, the North American-based Association for
Church Renewal (ACR), the Assemblies of God, Latin American Theological Fraternity, the
Reichenberg Fellowship, and Mennonite World Conference also have representatives with
evangelical concerns.
Asked to present a two-thirds world evangelical perspective, INFEMIT’s Samuel has
been meeting with evangelicals to draft a letter expressing the concerns that have
surfaced during the half-dozen meetings held in the conference room of the Anglican Chapel
on campus.
The discussions have been a lively exchange of perspectives from African, Asian, Latin
American, European and North American theologians, lay delegates, visitors and observers.
The group has been a diverse mix – age, gender, nationality, and denominations.
"The open, flexible, and competent discussions we have had together have been amongst
the highlight of the assembly for me," said Rolf-Alexander Thieke, a German Lutheran
theologican.
The central theme running through the meetings has been that evangelicals and evangelical
concerns are not adequately represented in the WCC.
According to Hwa Yung, of Malaysia, a major concern of evangelicals is the lack of
emphasis on wholistic mission. They argue that without a strong WCC commitment to its
constitutional basis of unity in Christ, there is no mission imperative.
Youth delegate Kosta Milkov, from Macedonia, added, "Being here at Harare, I can
clearly see what is at stake when the WCC tends to promote an agenda quite distinct from
the original vision at its founding in Amsterdam."
Diane Knippers, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy and a steering
committee member of the ACR, said, "The vast majority of the members of the US
Protestant churches in fact hold to a biblical Christian faith that is closer to Orthodox
and two-thirds world evangelicals than our liberal denominational delegations here in
Harare.
"Because these ecumenical gatekeepers do not represent us, we are being
systematically denied access to the WCC’s great ecumenical project."
The evangelicals are also concerned about the processes of the WCC. Knippers continued,
"The WCC seems to be captive to the Western liberal Protestantism – a small,
shrinking minority of Christ’s church – and to its emphases on individual
autonomy and moral relativity."
Parker Williamson, executive editor of The Presbyterian Layman, said, "WCC officials,
whose liberalism is clearly not in tune with the overwhelming majority of Christians at
this assembly, are pursuing a relentless divide-and-conquer strategy."
He added, "Celebrating diversity has meant organizing hundreds of padares and
sessions with open microphones so every point-of-view can be expressed. In the midst of
the cacophony of ideas, the WCC’s central committee sets forth its plan. Without a
clear alternative and in the press of time, the people accede in the name of ‘unity
in diversity’."
There was general agreement that the evangelicals wanted to present a positive approach
rather than focus exclusively on points of controversy.
"There are areas where we applaud what the WCC is doing," said Tom Finger of the
Mennonite Central Committee. "The Mennonites are here to support and participate in
the WCC’s Program to Overcome Violence. But we want to ensure that this and other
programs maintain a biblical and Christocentric focus," he said.
While there are serious points of difference between evangelicals and the Orthodox, the
developing dialogue is encouraging to both sides.
Young evangelicals from Orthodox-majority areas are asking to be included in the second
phase of the dialogue, pointing to their co-religionists who are engaged in graduate level
study of Orthodoxy. Some evangelicals noted that the Orthodox-evangelical padare was the
high moment of the WCC assembly for them.
Other evangelicals are quick to acknowledge evangelical short-comings. Canon Samuel
agreed, "We need to recognize our areas of weakness and acknowledge that the WCC
might have reservations and hesitations about Evangelical involvement in the journey of
the World Council of Churches over the past 50 years."
A team of about a dozen writers volunteered to draft the Evangelical Letter. The canon
said, "This letter is a frank and loving Jubilee call to the WCC from evangelical
participants at Harare."
The Letter, still in draft format, praises the faith of many of the assembly participants,
the vitality of the worship experiences, the beauty of the ecumenical vision and the
continuing dialogue with the Orthodox delegation.
It expresses regret that the voice of the African church, which they describe as
"committed to the centrality of scripture, cultural renewal, and social, political
and economic change", was absent.
It expresses regret that no major speakers were recognizably evangelical and that several
speakers clearly were outside the credal base of member churches and the WCC’s own
faith base.
It expressed regret that the padares were ineffective and that "by appearing to give
voice to all, it provided no clear channel through which that voice could be articulated,
heard and count toward the outcome."
The letter stresses points of importance to evangelicals – the centrality of personal
transformation in Christian mission and a biblical view of the Trinity.
The draft document concludes that "the WCC must operate more in accord with the
Christocentric, missionary emphasis of its original vision. Jubilee is also a time to
return to the beginning."
"In spite of our deep differences with the WCC, we will not be alienated from the
unity to which we know the Holy Spirit is wooing the churches," asserted Diane
Knippers. "We look forward to greater participation in the quest for unity in Christ,
either through a radically reformed WCC or through new avenues we are confident that God
will raise up as needed."
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