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Article Excerpt
Abstract
Considering the mission statements of the World Alliance of YMCAs, this article discusses how contextual ecumenical theology can and should be done. The main part of the article is an interpretative analysis of the international YMCA movement, and the way ecumenical theology is done in this context. The analysis shows how the ecumenical theology of the World Alliance of YMCAs seems to be based on the reaffirmation oft& Paris Basis, the unity oft& movement, its non-doctrinal, non-ecclesiastical and non-political character, and the priority given to the various member movements' different contexts. In the last section, I reflect on how contextual ecumenical theology should be done. I argue that ecumenical theology must welcome and include in its reflections a wide range of expressions of faith, and that ecumenical minimalism seems like a promising starting point for such endeavours. However, ecumenical theology in a globalized world needs also to be a contextual theology, and must consider the realities of a wide range of contexts in its ongoing reflections. A contextual ecumenical theology cannot only include voices from a number of denominations; it must also be conscious of a number of contexts, and their differences, challenges, hopes and despairs. Ecumenical minimalism must, therefore, be combined with contextual maximalism.
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As Christianity has split into different denominations, theology too has become denominational. Still, there has always been an ecumenical strand within Christianity. Not least, processes of globalization over the last 200 years have produced a new call for interdenominational or ecumenical theology. This is a theology that is consciously informed by a number of different strands within Christianity, and that seeks to explore possible common ground between them. However, this raises fundamental questions regarding the relationship between theology and context, the global and the local, church and society, etc.
In the following, I want to pursue the issue of ecumenical theology by asking, "How can and should contextual ecumenical theology be done?" The phrase, "can and should" indicates I have both a descriptive and a normative agenda. I want to give an interpretation of one way of doing ecumenical theology, discuss how it has emerged and developed, and the social context for this, and then reflect critically and normatively on this case. Further, by contextual I mean not primarily a theology defined by the context but rather a theology that is conscious of its context. All theologies are to a greater or lesser extent defined by their context, and, precisely for this reason, it is necessary to reflect critically on this context. By contextual theology I therefore mean attempts at interpreting the Christian faith that are consciously aware of the role and influence of the context when doing so. This issue of context is especially challenging in a globalized world. As noted by Robert d. Schreiter, "Theology in a world shaped by globalization finds itself between the global and the local." (1) It is therefore necessary to ask which contexts influence, and are consciously allowed to influence, the making of ecumenical theology. (2)
I take as my starting point an analysis of how theology is done in the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), and more specifically how the World Alliance of YMCAs articulates and interprets its Christian mission. The YMCA is one of the oldest and largest youth organizations in the world, and the international YMCA movement links local, national and regional associations, thus creating a web between individuals of different nations, denominations, classes and contexts. As such, the YMCA can be an arena for, "contextual ecumenical theology". This is a way of doing theology that is both consciously informed by the context(s), and seeks to explore common ground between different strands of Christianity.
Religion, society and the YMCA
There are several reasons for my choice of the World Alliance of YMCAs as an object for closer study. Firstly, since the movement was established in 1855, the Paris Basis has remained the basis for the work of the international YMCA. This basis was later also adopted in slightly revised versions by the World Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and the World Christian Student Federation (WCSF), and it seems to have influenced the wording of the basis for both the Faith and Order movement (FO) and the World Council of Churches (WCC). Accordingly, this formula from the YMCA movement has influenced key institutions in the global ecumenical movement and, as such, has had a noteworthy impact in important arenas for contemporary ecumenical theology. (3)
Secondly, the World Alliance of YMCAs has on several occasions over the last 150 years debated the content, meaning and implications of the Park Bask. On two occasions, the movement adopted interpretative statements of it. These are the Kampala Principles from 1973, and Challenge 21 from 1998. As the YMCA sees itself as an ecumenical movement, doing this interpretative exercise is doing ecumenical theology in...
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