Evangelism and Ecumenism

 

Evangelism and Ecumenism: Conflict or Complementarity?

 

A Society for Ecumenical Studies webinar on Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 7.30pm
 
The connection between evangelism/evangelisation and ecumenism was key to the origins of the ecumenical movement but seems to be rarely spoken about today.
 
Our three distinguished speakers will examine the historical and theological links between these important areas of church life as well as the current practical outworking. Forefront to our thinking will be the question, what does it mean to do this kind of mission ecumenically?
 
Speakers:
 
Dr Viorel Coman, a senior post-doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the University of Bucharest, Romania (2009), a Master in Theology from the same University (2011), a Master of Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion from KU Leuven (2012), and a Doctorate in Theology from KU Leuven (2016). His doctoral dissertation focused on Dumitru Stăniloae’s Trinitarian ecclesiology. Further research interests include Trinitarian theology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, ecumenism, 20th-century Orthodox theology.
 
Sr Dr Gemma Simmonds CJ, senior lecturer in pastoral theology at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, Cambridge
A sister of the Congregation of Jesus, Sr Gemma teaches Christian spirituality at the Cambridge Theological Federation. She has been a spiritual director, retreat giver and lecturer for over 25 years, as well as having worked as a prison and university chaplain. She is the author of The Way of Ignatius and Dancing at Still Point (SPCK).
 
Rev Dr Ben Aldous, Principal Officer for Mission and Evangelism, Churches Together in England
Before joining CTE in 2019, Ben had been in Anglican ministry in Durban (2010-2013) and then Cape Town in South Africa (2013-2018). There he completed a doctorate at The University of Stellenbosch, exploring the idea of authenticity in Fresh Expressions in The Anglican Church of Southern Africa. From 2004-2010 he and his wife were part of a church planting team in rural Cambodia. In his role, Ben helps bring together church leaders who reflect on mission and evangelism in urban and rural contexts across England. Ben also writes and reflects on Fresh Expressions and missiological topics and is a honorary research fellow at The Queens Foundation in Birmingham. His book for SCM Press The Three Mile an Hour God: Reflections on mission with Kosuke Koyama was published in 2022.
 
Chair: Victoria Turner, lecturer at Ripon College Cuddesdon and a Trustee of Churches Together in England.
 
Cost £5: SfES Members free
 
Book your place here: https://cte.org.uk/sfes-evangelism/