Description
Book SynopsisEcumenical consciousness has not always been part of the Catholic experience. Frederick M. Bliss, S.M. traces how the concern for ecumenism came about_from uneasy tension to confidence in the true grace of catholicity. This new edition follows significant developments in dialogues with the Catholic Church up to 2006 and suggests likely trends of continuing change. It studies the forces that had an impact on the Second Vatican Council, forces that continue to steer the church into relationships with other Christian communities, other religions, and the world.
Trade ReviewAccurate and up-to-date, consistently fair and always lucid, this book is essential reading for all aspiring ecumenists. Bliss's assessments of the many traditions described are a model of how slow but perceptible progress can be made toward the goal of the unity which is the Lord's will. The breadth and depth of Bliss's reading is striking and shows readers something of the work to be done. -- Bishop Richard Garrard, Past Director, The Anglican Centre in Rome
Father Bliss's text is the work of a scholar and priest whose long-standing commitment to and involvement in ecumenical relations has given him a solid grasp of the 'culture of dialogue' that has emerged since Vatican II. Bliss writes from a particularly well-informed vantage point in providing an excellent overview of the Catholic Church's irrevocable commitment to full visible unity among all Christians, and his extensive consultation with theologians currently involved in international ecumenical dialogues makes this text a particularly valuable resource for all who are engaged in ecumenical activity. -- Father Donald Bolen, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Rome
Father Bliss has done a great service to the teaching of ecumenism with this revision. He situates the modern ecumenical movement in the larger context of Christian history, allowing us to understand the contemporary dialogues in relation to the history of doctrine. -- Reverend Dr. Thomas A. Baima, Provost, University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary
Frederick M. Bliss's Catholic and Ecumenical is a welcome addition to the theological library....Its breadth of scope in treatment of Catholicism and other Christian traditions with which it relates serves a readership wider than most books on the ecumenical shelf. * The Catholic Historical Review, October 2008 *
A professor of ecclesiology and ecumenism at St. Thomas University in Rome, Bliss has a superb command of his subject. He is also a master of summarizing complex history and material into concise, readable prose. He puts it all into historical context, so that any novice in the field can appreciate the revolutionary changes that have occurred in Catholicism since the mid-1960s. * Journal of Ecumenical Studies, Winter 2010 *
Father Bliss has trained generations of ecumenists at the Angelicum in Rome and is generally thought to be one of the Church's real leaders in the field of ecumenical pedagogy. This new edition will be a standard reference work for all interested in ecumenism, and I recommend it very highly. -- Reverend Michael Seed, SA, Secretary, Ecumenical Commission, Westminster
Table of ContentsChapter 1 A Church to Change Chapter 2 A Changing Church Chapter 3 Uniform No Longer Chapter 4 Estranged Sisters Chapter 5 Reform to Reformation Chapter 6 Reformation in England Chapter 7 Leaning Toward the Future
