For the first time, a general secretary of the World Council of Churches has taken part with a pope in a Rome service to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which ended last week, recalling the centenary of this initiative born in the United States in 1908.
"I want to assure you of our commitment to continue our co-operation in the best possible way," said WCC general secretary the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, a Methodist from Kenya, at the service at the ancient basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, where, according to tradition, the bones are kept of the apostle, who was executed nearby by the rulers of ancient Rome.
Underlining that "the world needs a church that is one and united in its witness," Kobia referred to the unrest in his home country which has led to more than 800 deaths. "The common witness of the churches for reconciliation and healing of the nation is crucial for peace in...
Ian is finding the problems of mixing religion and state extremely difficult. The Puritans in England and later in the United States found that it is impossible to be the "City on the Hill" without the physical presence of Christ. It never has or will happen. I just have a lot of sympathy for the Right Honourable Dr. Paisley, even with a longer tradition of having religion and state entangled with each other. It used to be one of the favorite sayings in the U.S. that "gasoline and alcohol don't mix" (and was pointed out that they do, they just don't taste good. ) However, it should really be pointed out it is a downright poisonous combination for people, and religion and politics is much the same way, for the body politic and religious.
Time and season change opinions,all options are open ref unity.anything could happen maybe mr paisley sen will attend one of these services in the future after his previous tentative interdenominational meeting in ballymena
"The term 'Ecumenism' comes from a Greek word meaning 'the inhabited earth'. The word occurs in the New Testament in Luke 2:1, where it is translated as 'all the world'. In the 20th century in the non-Roman Catholic world it is used of a movement for Church unity which resulted from the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of 1910 and which has now evolved through the Faith and Order, Life and Work, and International Missionary Council movements into the World Council of Churches (WCC) - the term 'Christian' being rightly excluded from the title. In the Roman Catholic world it is used for a parallel movement aiming at the eventual inclusion of all other churches and religions in the Church of Rome and is headed in that department of the Vatican known as the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity."
"It is organised on the world level in the World Council of Churches and with the Vatican's Secretariat for Unity in various International Commissions such as the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and others representing Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Baptists, etc., with Rome." (Ian Paisley)
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) However, it should really be pointed out it is a downright poisonous combination for people, 
and religion and politics is much the same way, for the body politic and religious.
john uk from wales: "
brassitude
1. does not follow.
2. the baptys recognised..."
