Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Of worldwide scope or applicability: Having relevance, application, or influence across the entire world; universal.
   • Concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions: Pertaining to efforts aimed at fostering greater cooperation, dialogue, and unity among different Christian denominations or, more broadly, among the world's religions.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Worldwide Scope):
  • The conference addressed oecumenical issues like climate change and global health.
  • His oecumenical fame as a scholar was well-deserved.
• Adjective (Religious Unity):
  • The bishop was a key figure in the oecumenical movement.
  • Their dialogue was an important oecumenical effort to bridge theological differences.

Advanced Usage

• "oecumenical council": A council of bishops and other church authorities convened from across the Christian world to discuss and settle matters of doctrine, discipline, or application. The term is most famously associated with the early councils of the Christian Church.
  • The First Council of Nicaea was an oecumenical council.
• Used in formal, academic, or theological contexts. The variant spelling ecumenical is far more common in modern English.

Variants and Related Words

• Ecumenical (adj): The standard modern spelling of "oecumenical," with identical meanings.
• Ecumenism (n): The principle or aim of promoting unity among the world's Christian churches or among religions more broadly.
  • He dedicated his life to the cause of ecumenism.
• Oecumenically (adv): In an oecumenical manner.
  • The charity operates oecumenically, serving people of all faiths.

Synonyms

• Universal: Of, affecting, or done by all people or things in the world or in a particular group.
• Global: Relating to the whole world; worldwide.
• Worldwide: Extending or reaching throughout the world.
• Cosmopolitan: Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary distinction lies between the secular meaning of "universal" and the specific religious meaning of "seeking Christian unity." The context usually makes the intended meaning clear.
• In contemporary usage, the religious sense is more frequently encountered than the general "worldwide" sense.

Adjective

1. of worldwide scope or applicability
   • an issue of cosmopolitan import
   • the shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time- Christopher Morley
   • universal experience
2. concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
   • ecumenical thinking
   • ecumenical activities
   • the ecumenical movement