Grants from the Bill Snelson Young Ecumenists Fund can be used to facilitate any ecumenical experience outside of England. These could be but are not confined to study, pilgrimage, work, prayer, retreat or reconciliation.
To give applicants an idea of what they might do, here are some examples of ecumenical experiences which have been shared with CTE
Study
Bossey, Geneva
Bossey Ecumenical Institute – part of the World Council of Churches – is a unique place for ecumenical study. Its courses are credited by the University of Geneva. The content of the teaching is focused on the challenges for the churches in the 21st century and the responses given through the modern ecumenical movement. The methodology is a combination of academic teaching and experiential learning. Find out more.
Read reflections from recent Bossey students.
Bridging Gaps
A three-month (September – November) programme at the Faculty of Religion and Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) and the Protestant Theological University (PThU) which offers intercultural exchange in order to enrich theology. Students come from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Find out more.
Catholic Centro Pro Unione in Rome
Three-week summer school designed to introduce participants to the ecumenical and interreligious movements from a Roman Catholic perspective; especially aimed at people in preparation for ministry or a role as an ecumenical officer. Find out more.
Christians Abroad
As well as more practical programmes, Christians Abroad also runs ‘Monotheistic forums’ in Ajloun, North Jordan for theological students and reflective Christians who wish to learn about Christian / Muslim faith community co-existence and dialogue, along with Middle Eastern Church ecumenicalism and reconciliation (between Orthodoxy/Catholicism and Reformed Church in Jordan) in a theological context. Find out more.
Irish School of Ecumenics
Part of Trinity College Dublin, the Irish School of Ecuemics offers a one-year M.Phil. in Contextual Theologies and Interfaith Relations, which has a particular focus on how ecclesial communities reimagine formerly antagonistic relationships and on interreligious theologies on themes of justice, peace, reconciliation. Find out more.
University of Utrecht summer schools
These courses are one or two weeks long and would be of interest to students from Anglican, Orthodox, Lutheran, Old Catholic and ecumenical backgrounds. Examples of courses include Old Catholic Theology: Communion as Calling and Challenge and Anglicanism in European Perspective.
Prayer/retreat
Chemin Neuf
A Catholic community with an ecumenical vocation and an active mission with young people. It holds a week of Spiritual Exercises for young people aged 18 to 30. Find out more.
Chevetogne, Belgium
An ecumenically-inspired monastery, which follows both Roman Catholic and Orthodox liturgies; celebrated mainly in Slavonic, and sometimes in Greek. Chevtogne welcomes individuals and groups for short visits and prayer retreats. Find out more.
Taizé
Taizé is an ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity in Burgundy, France. Every summer there is a ‘reflection’ week for 18–35-year-olds, with workshops on a wide range of topics; the next one will be in August 2024. Find out more.
Taizé also sometimes organises ecumenical youth meetings abroad. Read more about the gathering in Homs, Syria in April 2022.
Pilgrimage
Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem
This ‘oasis’ for study, prayer and living in community runs a variety of programmes. Tantur offers a variety of Continuing Education and Sabbatical Programs for those seeking to deepen their understanding of their faith and the Holy Land. Find out more.
World Youth Day
World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated about every three years in a different country. It is intended as an expression of the universal Church and a moment of evangelization for the youth world. The next WYD will be in Seoul, South Korea in 2027. Find out more.
Young ecumenists, Annika Mathews and Luegi Lopes shared their experience of World Youth Day 2023 with CTE.
Younger Leaders Pilgrimage of Reconciliation to the Holy Land
What does the Christian ministry of reconciliation look like in a world increasingly characterised by conflict and polarisation? That’s the question a group of young church leaders will be engaging with as they visit the Holy Land from 15 to 27 April 2024. A fully-funded pilgrimage run by the British Trust for Tantur. Find out more.
Voluntary work
Christians Abroad
Christians Abroad runs volunteer programmes, allowing young people to share their practical skills – such as medical or counselling expertise – in many different countries worldwide. Find out more.
Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE)
Young people (18-28) are invited to apply to the stewardship programme for the CPCE General Assembly taking place in Sibiu, Romania. This role is a mixture of practical work and a chance to get to know the ecumenical movement, the region and the Assembly topics in workshops. The programme will run from 22 August to 3 September 2024. Enquiries via email.
Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe, Brussels
EYCE is a strong network of young Christians from all over Europe who seek unity among Christians and are engaged in the work for justice, peace & the integrity of creation. EYCE regularly organises seminars, study sessions, training courses, workshops and other meetings. It has a Volunteer Programme which aims at providing training for young people involved in European/ national organisations. Each year it hosts two volunteers in the Brussels office. Find out more.
International Work Camps, Germany
An opportunity for young people (16-24) to work together in an international context for two weeks on socially relevant projects; run by the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Upper Silesia (EKBO). Find out more.
Read about the experiences of previous participants.
World Council of Churches
The WCC aims to empower young Christians to energize the ecumenical movement: as interns at the WCC offices in Geneva; as stewards at major ecumenical events; as commissioners liaising among youth, churches, WCC governing bodies and WCC programmes, championing ecumenical action for church and society. Its work with young people is overseen by the ECHOS Commission, which consists of 17 young people from a broad cross-section of churches and youth organizations within the ecumenical movement Find out more.
If you have a query about whether a particular ecumenical experience would qualify for a Snelson grant first check out How to apply then email the Snelson Fund.