Document
Beloved in Christ, marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order meets in Egypt, the land where the Holy Family took refuge, the land out of which God called his Son (Hos 11:1; Matt 2:15). We have been overwhelmed by the generous hospitality of the Coptic Orthodox Church and express our deep gratitude to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, to his fellow bishops and to all his people for their warm welcome. We have been deeply impressed by the witness and mission of the Coptic Orthodox Church not only now but through the centuries. We acknowledge this ancient land where many generations have lived, breathed and had their being in God. We are conscious that here in Africa and the Middle East, as in other places across the world, many people, including Christians, are today facing persecution and suffering horrific violence, existential threat, dehumanization and utter disregard for human rights. In a world marked by division and polarization, by violence and war, and by apathy and complicity in the face of the resulting injustices, Christ’s call to unity (John 17:21) remains as urgent as ever.
We rejoice that the past century of Faith and Order work has revealed that on many questions we agree more than we disagree. In the face of continuing disunity, the Sixth World Conference continues the ecumenical journey towards visible unity. Building on the legacy of previous Faith and Order conferences – from Lausanne (1927) to Santiago de Compostela (1993) – this gathering reflects on progress made and the persistent call to embody Christ’s prayer: “that they may all be one” (John 17:21).
- We share faith in God – Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit – which brings us together across time and traditions. Trinitarian faith is not merely a heritage to be preserved, but living water to be offered through both word and deed. We are called not only to believe, but to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7): to live lives of hope, love, and transformation for the healing and reconciliation of the nations and of God’s good creation.
- Mission is rooted in the very identity of the Church, whose task is to proclaim the gospel. The faith of the Nicene Creed is not focused on itself, but reminds us that the Church exists to be sent into the world. For the churches in some contexts, mission has been entangled with histories of enslavement, colonialism, and power. Therefore, in our time, mission must be marked by repentance and a reorientation toward decolonisation and justice, reconciliation and unity.
- Unity is more than agreement: it is communion. Rooted in baptism, expressed in shared prayer, unity begins to be visible when we live together, moving towards mutual sharing of the Eucharist and recognition of each other’s ministries. Unity also begins to be visible when we live together in ways that embody faith, hope, and love: not in isolation, but in solidarity with those who are marginalized by gender, race, poverty, disability, or ecological devastation. The Nicene Creed, ancient yet ever new, reminds us that we share a gift and call to full, visible unity: a unity that Faith and Order works to make visible in the life of the Church through seeking deeper understanding and agreed doctrine.
Where now for Visible Unity? In this on-going journey, this is our call: to renew our commitment to faith, mission, and unity in Christ Jesus; to listen together to the Holy Spirit; to walk together as pilgrims: as children of the Father learning together to live out our faith, hope, and love, and in the practice of justice, reconciliation, and unity. Let us aspire to live the unity for which Christ prayed, that the world may believe and experience God’s gifts of healing, justice and abundant life.
