Pope Paul VI and ecumenism

Some considered him a liberal, when he asked lay people to love not only Catholics but also schismatics (Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox), Protestants (such as Lutherans and Anglicans), the indifferent, Muslims, pagans, atheists.[1] Contrary to Church teachings from Pope Leo XIII (and later John Paul II and Benedict XVI) which regarded Anglican Clergy as unequal in light of their deemed lack of apostolic succession, Archbishop Montini simply ignored this aspect altogether during a visit of Anglican clergy in Milan in 1957 and a subsequent exchange of letters with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher.[2]

The Catholic Church itself recognized from the many previous ecumenical encounters, that much needed to be done within, in order to be an open partner for ecumenism.[3] To those who are entrusted the highest and deepest truth and therefore, so Paul VI, believed that he had the most difficult part to communicate. Ecumenical dialogue in the view of Paul VI requires from a Catholic the whole person: ones entire reason and will as well as a totally open heart.[4] Paul VI, like Pius XII before him, was reluctant to give in on a lowest possible point.

And yet, Paul felt compelled to admit his ardent Gospel-based desire to be everything to everybody and to help all people [5] Being the successor of Peter, he felt the words of Christ, "Do you love me more" like a sharp knife penetrating to the marrow of his soul. These words meant to Paul VI love without limits,[6] and they underscore the Church's fundamental approach to ecumenism.

In 1965, Paul VI decided on the creation of a joint working group with the World Council of Churches in order to map all possible avenues of dialogue and cooperation. In the following three years, eight sessions were held which resulted in a number of joint proposals.[7] It was proposed to work closely together in areas of social justice and development and Third World Issues such as hunger and poverty. On the religious side, it was agreed to share together in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, to be held every year. The joint working group was to prepare texts which were to be used by all Christians.[8] On 19 July 1968, the meeting of the World Council of Churches took place in Uppsala, Sweden, which Pope Paul called a sign of the times. He sent his blessing in an ecumenical manner: "May the Lord bless everything you do for the case of Christian Unity."[9] The World Council of Churches decided on including Catholic Theologians in its committees, provided they have the backing of the Vatican.

Paul VI actively supported the newfound harmony and cooperation with Protestants on so many levels. When Cardinal Augustin Bea went to see him for permission for a joint Catholic-Protestant translation of the Bible with Protestant Bible societies, the Pope walked towards him and exclaimed, "as far as the cooperation with Bible societies is concerned, I am totally in favour."[10] He issued a formal approval on Pentecost 1967, the feast on which the Holy Spirit descended on the Christians, overcoming all linguistic difficulties, according to Christian tradition.[11]

Paul VI visited the Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople in 1964 and 1967. He was the first pope since the ninth century to visit the East, labeling the Eastern Churches as sister Churches.[12] He was also the first pope in centuries to meet the heads of various Eastern Orthodox faiths. Notably, his meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I in 1964 in Jerusalem led to rescinding the excommunications of the Great Schism, which took place in 1054.

This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople. It produced the Catholic-Orthodox Joint declaration of 1965, which was read out on 7 December 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the Second Vatican Council in Rome and at a special ceremony in Istanbul. The declaration did not end the schism, but showed a desire for greater reconciliation between the two churches.[12]

In May 1973, the Coptic Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria visited the Vatican, where he met three times with Pope Paul VI. A common declaration and a joint Creed issued at the conclusion of the visit demonstrated that there are virtually no more theological discrepancies between the Coptic and Roman Catholic Churches.