Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Christianity) The doctrine or principle of the ecumenical movement: This refers to the belief in and active promotion of cooperation, dialogue, and better understanding among different Christian denominations and churches. Its ultimate aim is to foster universal Christian unity.

Usage

• As a subject: is a central tenet of many modern Christian dialogues.
• As an object: The conference promoted among the attending churches.
• With prepositions: There has been significant progress in over the last century. Leaders spoke about the importance of .

Examples

• The theologian's work was deeply influenced by his commitment to .
• A key goal of is to overcome historical divisions between Christian communities.
• Practical can be seen in joint community service projects undertaken by different churches.

Advanced Usage

• "The spirit of ecumenicalism": This phrase emphasizes the attitude or guiding principle of seeking unity.
  • The joint prayer service was conducted in the spirit of ecumenicalism.
• "To promote/practice ecumenicalism": These collocations describe active support or implementation of the doctrine.
  • The council was established to promote ecumenicalism and interfaith dialogue.

Variants and Related Words

• Ecumenical (adj): Relating to or representing the whole Christian world; promoting unity among churches.
  • They attended an ecumenical council.
• Ecumenicism (n): A less common variant synonym for .
• Ecumenism (n): The most common synonym, often used interchangeably with to denote the movement or principle.
  • Ecumenism seeks to heal the divisions within Christianity.

Synonyms

• Ecumenism: The principle or aim of promoting unity among the world's Christian churches.
• Interdenominationalism: The principle of cooperation or interaction between different religious denominations.

Related Concepts

• Interfaith dialogue: Discussion and cooperation between different religions (e.g., Christianity and Islam), which is distinct from but related to , which focuses specifically on intra-Christian unity.
• Christian unity: The desired goal or state that aims to achieve.

Noun

1. (Christianity) the doctrine of the ecumenical movement that promotes cooperation and better understanding among different religious denominations: aimed at universal Christian unity