Publisher's Synopsis
This book is the official record of the Faith and Order plenary commission meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2004 on the theme "Receive one another, as Christ has received you, for the glory of God" (Rom. 15:7). "Faith and Order" exists to help the churches overcome the sources -- theological, historical and social -- of their division. For the commission (probably the most diverse church-based theological forum in the world) it was the second meeting in Asia, and the first in a Muslim-majority country. Hosted by the Council of Churches of Malaysia, the meeting heard challenging addresses by the prime minister of Malaysia and by the general secretary of the WCC, introductions to key theological themes and to Faith and Order studies, and substantial Bible studies. This volume includes explorations of issues as diverse as the nature of the church, the nature of human nature, baptism, the relation of ethnic and national identities to Christian unity, the interpretation of biblical texts and Christian symbols, theological perspectives on peace and violence, the relation of inter-religious dialogue to the search for Christian unity, and -- not least -- the future of Faith and Order itself. It is indispensable as a stimulus to further work on Christian unity today.
