The Seven Marks of the Unity of the Church: Exegetical Impulses for an Ecumenical Theology of Unity According to Ephesians 4:1-6

The Letter to the Ephesians is the first biblical text to reflect on systematically, and even to undertake programmatically, the development of a hermeneutically reflected theology of unity for the worldwide church. Its relevance for current ecumenical discussions lies in the fact that it sets out s...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Heckel, Ulrich 1958- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2021
In: The ecumenical review
Year: 2021, Volume: 73, Issue: 4, Pages: 566-580
IxTheo Classification:HC New Testament
KDJ Ecumenism
NBN Ecclesiology
NBP Sacramentology; sacraments
Further subjects:B Ministries
B Letter to the Ephesians
B unity of the church
B Ecumenical Dialogue
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Summary:The Letter to the Ephesians is the first biblical text to reflect on systematically, and even to undertake programmatically, the development of a hermeneutically reflected theology of unity for the worldwide church. Its relevance for current ecumenical discussions lies in the fact that it sets out seven characteristics for the unity of the church. Shaped by the theology of Ephesians, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (381 CE) sets out four criteria in its affirmation of the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” Just as these four criteria were called notae ecclesiae, the seven statements about unity from Ephesians 4:4-6 could also be called notae unitatis, seven marks of the unity of the church. These could provide an excellent basis for arriving at mutual understanding not only in Protestant–Roman Catholic dialogue but also within worldwide ecumenism.
ISSN:1758-6623
Contains:Enthalten in: The ecumenical review
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/erev.12638