The pilgrimage of justice and peace.
Gill, Theodore A., Jr. ; Tveft, Olav Fykse
For two consecutive assemblies, the World Council of Churches has
adopted themes following the pattern of prayer: "God, in your
grace, transform the world" (Porto Alegre 2006) and "God of
life, lead us to justice and peace" (Busan 2013). Constant readers
of The Ecumenical Review are familiar with a breadth of reflections and
commentaries on these themes and some of the moral implications
challenging anyone who dares repeat such prayers.
During the 10th Assembly of the WCC in October-November 2013,
another phrase gained currency among participants in the gathering:
"The pilgrimage of justice and peace." Inspired primarily by
the theme in Busan, this concept of being led on a journey by the living
God also echoes the expectation of transformation hailed in Porto
Alegre: A purposeful, life-affirming initiative begun in the pursuit of
justice and peace may become, by the grace of God, a pilgrimage of
transformation offering hope to the whole world.
In the aftermath of Busan, the WCC is attempting to frame its
programmes and projects of the next several years within the context of
the ecumenical pilgrimage of justice and peace.
In the present issue, guest editor Olav Fykse Tveit, the WCC
general secretary since 2010, guides us in exploring aspects of
pilgrimage. He supplies both the lead article for this issue, based on
his report to the WCC executive committee in February 2014, and a major
lecture in the Ecumenical Chronicle in which he discusses the
intersection of our journey with respect for religious liberty and a
nation's laws.
Some of the other authors of articles in this issue are current or
recent staff of the Council. They have been asked to reflect on aspects
of the nature of Christian pilgrimage; these writers include Dagmar
Heller, Deenabandhu Manchala, Nyambura Njoroge, Martin Robra and Clare
Amos. Father loan Sauca, a longtime member of the staff, director and
professor of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, well known to
Ecumenical Review, appears in these pages for the first time in his new
guise as WCC associate general secretary for ecumenical formation.
Leymah Gbowee, a Nobel peace laureate who spoke in Busan,
collaborates with Archbishop Thabo Makgoba on the theme of nonviolence
and peacemaking.
Jim Wallis of the Sojourners community, editor of Sojourners
magazine, lends us "The Good Samaritan Goes Global," an
excerpt from his latest book, The Uncommon Good.
Finally, we offer a conversation on forgiveness between Fr Michael
Lapsley, affectionately remembered for his sermon at the closing service
of common prayer in Busan, and his friend, the former archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
One of the earliest theologians to take up "pilgrimage"
as a metaphor for the Christian life was Augustine of Hippo. In City of
God (4.15.6), he summons an image of the injuries and illness that
affect pilgrims on their journey--conditions that too often led to
death. So too, the Christian is prone to becoming sick with sin and
temptations. The only hope of restoration and arrival at the goal,
advises Augustine, is mutual aid, mutual support, mutual forgiveness, it
is by such means that pilgrims "grow in grace and live by
faith."
"It is in this way," he concludes, "that citizens of
the City of God are given medicine during their pilgrimage on earth,
even as they pray for the peace of their heavenly homeland."
As we continue on our pilgrimage, may the authors represented in
the pages of The Ecumenical Review encourage us to offer one another the
"medicine" we need for our common journey.
DOI: 10.1111/erev.12088
Editor
Theodore A. GILL, Jr.
Guest Editor
Olav Fykse TVEFT
