I am one of four people who were in Wadi El-Natrun at the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, but also at the Fifth in Santiago da Compostela in 1993. I travelled, in those 32 years, from being a ‘younger theologian’ to being a WCC President! Faith and Order has, like me, changed a great deal over those years.
This conference was the first to be outside Europe or North America, in the place where Africa and the Middle East meet. It was the first to have such wide representation from the majority world, and particularly from Africa and Asia, and the first to have such a strong emphasis alongside ‘faith’ and ‘unity’ on ‘mission’. It was the first to focus on a call to decolonise our churches and our ecumenical methodologies. It was the first to be preceded by and to include almost a hundred young people engaged in a Global Ecumenical Theological Institute, writing their own message and sharing in the work of the conference. It was the first to be hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church, who welcomed us with the enthusiasm of family, and the first to happen (in the way of things) alongside a centenary anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. These ‘firsts’ might give a sense of how ground-breaking this conference was.
It built on the work of Faith and Order over almost a century, including two convergence texts, Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (1982) and The Church: Towards a Common Vision (2013), along with many study texts, multi-lateral conversations, meetings, friendships and shared prayers. The phrase that defined the conference was the key question that emerged from the responses of the churches to recent work of Faith and Order, ‘Where now for visible unity?’.
It was clear that churches and their representatives believe that unity must be lived, embodied, earthed in the realities of our lives and the world’s pain and joy. Unity can be imagined neither as so abstract that it is meaningless or so distant from local church life that it does not touch where it counts. Unity is as much about shared prayer as doctrinal agreements, expressed in action for justice in the world and in relationships that are authentic and deep. There were clear signals from historic churches that we do not need to imagine an ecumenism of ‘return’ so much as an ecumenism of common pilgrimage towards a renewed future. And there were strong calls from churches newer to the ecumenical journey that they too hear the Spirit’s call to find our unity, recognising that a divided Church will be no good to a divided world.
The Nicaea anniversary meant that, in both discussion and in worship, we could reflect on and celebrate our shared faith, and have confidence that we agree far more than we disagree. A passionate commitment to holding hands as disciples within a world of great need was also evident. There were those who critiqued what they saw as the cerebral nature of Faith and Order, though at Wadi El-Natrun heart and head were held resolutely together, since the challenges of today need the wisest and the most faithful to help us face them together.
The conference produced a short Call to All Christians and a longer ecumenical affirmation. I pray that this meeting held in the desert brings forth fruits both nourishing and beautiful for the Church of God’s future. With my privileged ‘long view’ I have a strong hope and expectation that indeed it will.
Rev Dr Susan Durber is the World Council of Churches President from Europe and was Moderator of the WCC Faith and Order Commission from 2014-2022. She has served local churches, as Principal of Westminster College, Cambridge and as Theology Advisor at Christian Aid. She is a theologian and minister in the United Reformed Church.
Photo copyright: Albin Hillert/WCC
Find out more about the Sixth World Conference from the World Council of Churches.
Read a perspective on the conference from URC member Dr Victoria Turner.
Read a perspective on the conference from Baptist minister Rev Dr Gale Richards.