That They May All Be One: Celebrating the World Communion of Reformed Churches Book

About the Contributors xi

Greetings from World Church Leaders xv

Editor's Preface xix

Abbreviations xxiii

Part 1 Missio Dei and Missa Ecclesiae: On Mission

1 Koinonia and Mission Richard L. van Houten 3

2 Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste Scott D. Anderson 8

3 The Joy of Growing Old Ofelia Ortega 13

4 Rediscovering Missio Dei: A Challenge to the Churches: His Holiness Aram I 19

5 Funding and Faithfulness: The Political Economy of Christian Mission Philip L. Wickeri 24

6 With All of Our Mind: The Mission of Theological Education in the Reformed Tradition Cynthia M. Campbell 28

7 When Mission and Justice Embrace Hunter Farrell 32

8 Silence in Heaven for About Half an Hour: The Eschatological Dimension of Mission Douwe Visser 36

Part 2 Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and The Earth: On Justice

9 The Accra Confession as a Resource for Transformation Setri Nyomi 45

10 Building a 21st-Century Beloved Community: Using Reformed Bricks and the Mortar of Justice Bernice Powell Jackson 53

11 The Politics of Power: Negotiating North-South Tensions over Empire and Economics Rebecca Todd Peters 57

12 The King Is Naked: A Voice of Passion in the Cause of Justice Roberto Jordan 64

13 Living Faithfully in the Context of Empire: Challenges and Opportunities Omega Bula 68

Part 3 Oikumene and Koinonia: on Ecumenism

14 A Gift from Islam: "A Common Word between Us and You" and the Lessons from Interfaith Dialogue Today Iain Torrance 79

15 The Body Lies Bleeding: Wounds of the Divided Church Joseph D. Small 83

16 Reflections on Ecumenism in the Calvin Year Jane Dempsey Douglass 90

17 The Ecumenical Stance of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): The Nature of the Unity We Seek Anna Case-Winters 95

18 Christian Unity in the 21st Century Eugene Turner 100

19 Unity: Gift and Demand Lew Lancaster 105

20 Political Advocacy as a Dimension of Ecumenism Michael Kinnamon 110

21 The Ecumenical Significance of the World Communion of Reformed Churches Wesley Granberg-Michaelson 115

Part 4 For Such a Time as This: New Directions in Ecumenism and Mission

22 World Communion Sunday 2020 Gradye Parsons (with Rachel Parsons) 121

23 What's the Point? Kathleen Cook Owens 124

24 Ecumenical Formation from a Layperson's Perspective: The Prodigal Presbyterian Edward Chan 127

25 You, Me, and Us: Young Adults and the Future of Christian Diversity Aimee Moiso 131

26 Whenever You Eat This Bread and Drink This Cup: Being a Communion of Churches Neal D. Presa 137

Afterword

A New Bond in a Higher Calling: Clifton Kirkpatrick and Christian Unity Samuel Kobia 145

Epilogue

A Future for the Reformed Movement Worldwide? Clifton Kirkpatrick 149

Appendixes

Biographical Outline of Clifton Kirkpatrick 163

The Accra Confession: Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth 166

Notes 173