Navigating Troubled Waters: The Ecumenical Movement in the Pacific Islands Since the 1980s adresses the growing concerns about the decline of ecumenical cooperation in the Pacific oover the past several decades. Mandated by the Pacific Conference of Churchesand the Pacific Theological College, it answers three key questions: What is the status of ecumenical cooperation in the Pacific Islands today? What has led to the decline of the ecumenical movement? What are the prospects for the future of ecumenism? Employing the talanoa qualitative research method, the book’s authors, representing a wide range of academic disciplines, denominations and nationalities, have carried out extensive research in nine Pacific Island nations, interviewing over 200 Pacific Islanders, both clergy and laity, from across a broad spectrum of churches. Their findings provide a sobering analysis of the reasons for the weakening of ecumenism in the region. This groundbreaking research not only contributes to the ongoing global discourse on the crisis of ecumenism, but also provides inspiration for a renewal and expansion of ecumenical cooperation and solidarity among the churches of the Pacific. It is hoped that this publication will become a standard textbook for courses in modern church history, ecumenism, practical theology and public theology in theological schools across Pacific Islands and beyond.
The documents below provide short summaries (4-8 pages) of each individual country report of the book, as well as a summary of the final, stocktaking chapter.
They reflect the main findings and recommendations of each chapter. Click each icon for the respective chapter summary or open the first document to read all of them at once.
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