About
Speaking of Unity is a collection of occasional papers published by the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches USA in service to the wider ecumenical movement. Speaking of Unity is intended to further accessibility, reception and engagement of ecumenical documents produced in various theological settings. Texts produced by groups representing a wide variety of Christian voices, considerations of the nature of ecumenical dialogue and on the reception of dialogue results, reflections on the changing landscape of ecumenical theology, a place to find new ecumenical texts for the first time and to chew on their import, in an easily-accessed format: this is what we hope Speaking of Unity will provide for ourselves and others. The Commission's Publication Committee does not accept unsolicited submissions from individuals but would be happy to receive topical for upcoming issues.
The Council
Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical cooperation among Christians in the United States. The NCC's member faith groups — representing a wide spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, historic African American and Living Peace churches — include 45 million persons in more than 100,000 local congregations in communities across the nation. Each member church accepts the following statement of faith: " The National Council of Churches is a community of Christian communions, which, in response to the gospel as revealed in the Scriptures, confess Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, as Savior and Lord. These communions covenant with one another to manifest ever more fully the unity of the Church. Relying upon the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, the communions come together as the Council in common mission, serving in all creation to the glory of God." (Preamble to the NCC Constitution)
The Commission
The Faith and Order Commission of the Council is comprised of representatives of member-churches of the Council, non-member churches and other appropriate sending bodies that have chosen to participate in Faith and Order dialogue. Faith and Order carries out its work of inquiry and reconciliation by bringing together Christians from different communities to engage in theological reflection on the nature of the unity of the church and on issues that divide the churches. As it seeks to deepen ecclesial unity and obviate ecclesial division, the Commission “affirms the oneness of the church of Jesus Christ and keeps before the churches the gospel call to visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ, in order that the world may believe.” (Mission statement of the world-wide Faith and Order movement. See also NCCCUSA Faith and Order Commission Handbook)