An outburst of Orthodox anti-ecumenical criticism in 2016 raised the question of the current state of ecumenism. Examining this topic, the author describes a new form of ecumenical activity associated with the emergence of conservative Christian alliances in defense of traditional values. This "conservative ecumenism", or "Ecumenism 2.0," differs from the "classical ecumenism" that arose in the early 20th century and is represented today by the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical structures. The author considers the phenomenon of "ecumenical consciousness" and shows that it can be found in both types of ecumenism; however, some of the Orthodox anti-ecumenists who attack the "classical" ecumenism may eagerly opt for this new, conservative "Ecumenism 2.0". The article discusses the possible competition between the two types ecumenism.
Keywords: antiecumenism, Christian Right, conservatism, conservative Christian alliances, ecumenical movement, Russian Orthodox Church, traditional values, World Council of Churches, World Congress of Families.
Shishkov A. Two Ecumenisms: Conservative Christian Alliances as a New Form of Ecumenical Interaction // State, religion, and Church in Russia and abroad. 2017. N 1. pp. 269-300.
Shishkov, Andrey (2017) "Two Ecumenisms: Conservative Christian Alliances as a New Form of Ecumenical Cooperation", Gosudarstvo, religiia, tserkov' v Rossii i za rubezhom 35(1): 269-300.
page 269Orthodox anti-ecumenism in 2016
The first half of 2016 was marked by an unprecedented surge of anti-ecumenical sentiment in the Orthodox Church. The impetus for such critical statements was the publication in late January-early February of draft documents that were supposed to be considered and approved at the Pan-Orthodox Council scheduled for the second half of June 2016, primarily the document "Relations of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian world".
Anti-ecumenical protests in the first half of 2016 came as a surprise to the Orthodox h ...
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