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The Global Christian Forum: An Interview with Ron Roberson, CSP
From November 6-9 in Nairobi, Kenya, a new and inclusive instrument for unity among the followers of Jesus—the Global Christian Forum—brought together some 240 church leaders representing the broadest gathering ever. Paulist Father Ron Roberson, associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was one of the delegates. In this interview with Koinonia, he gives a first-hand “feel” for the gathering and fills in some of the blanks as to what went on there and what came out of the meeting.
Koinonia: What traditions of Christian faith were represented at the meeting?
Ron Roberson: I think it’s fair to say that the entire gamut of Christian traditions was present at the meeting. Since the priority was to engage the very large and growing Evangelical/Pentecostal stream, about half of the people at the meeting came from those traditions, and the other half from the other traditions.
K: The advance publicity for the meeting said that the participants would be invited to join in an intensive encounter with one another in Christ. Was it an “intensive encounter”? What was the “feel” of the meeting?
RR: Much of the work at the conference took place in smaller groups of 30, with members distributed proportionately from the various churches. The first task in these groups was to share each other’s personal faith journey – to tell about your own personal encounter with Christ in your life. This was indeed a very intense experience and created a bond among the participants that I think otherwise would have been very difficult to achieve.
K: One of the objectives was to reflect together on God's will for the church and God's mission in the world today. Were these the issues that actually got the most discussion time, or were there other important questions that surfaced?
RR: Yes, a lot of time was spent reflecting on these themes. But there was also ample opportunity to reflect on our past failings and ways that we might work together.
K: What did the delegates’ Statement at the end of the meeting have to say about these issues?
RR: Much of the Statement reviews the history of the process that led up to the meeting. It acknowledges the differences that exist among us, but also the common challenges we face when it comes to preaching the Gospel and promoting justice. It also expresses a desire to repent of past failings, acknowledges that in the past we have often allowed our prejudices to shape our perceptions of other Christians, and commits the participants to work for unity among all the followers of Christ.
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Fr. Roberson reads the Gospel at a Global Forum prayer service |
K: What was the prayer life at the gathering like?
RR: Each day began with Bible study in small groups of perhaps 10-15 people, which was always a prayerful experience. There were also morning and evening prayer services during the plenary sessions, each of which took place in a particular tradition. There was everything from a Pentecostal service with raised hands and singing to the choir of the Greek Orthodox seminary in Kenya.
K: There were also lay and para-church organizations represented at the Forum. Who were some of them, and did they have a very visible profile and voice?
RR: Yes, there were people from some organizations that strictly speaking were not churches. Among these I would mention Christian Aid, Edinburgh 2010, The Oxford Center for Mission Studies, and United Bible Societies. They participated fully in the meeting, both representing their own organizations and the faith traditions from which they as individuals came.
K: The idea of creating a broader, more inclusive international forum for Christians to meet and discuss common concerns has been in the works since the late 1990s. Various international assemblies have been convened in order to refine and advance this vision, all leading up to Nairobi. Where do you see it going from here?
RR: I think the Kenya meeting gave the whole process a big shot in the arm. What was achieved at the meeting was very tentative, just a tiny seedling that some day could become a mighty tree. Decisions are still being made about the next steps, but I am optimistic that the process will move forward. Those who would like to keep abreast of what is happening in the Global Christian Forum could consult its new website at www.globalchristianforum.org
K: You were there because of your work with Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT). How goes the project of creating a more inclusive Christian forum within our own country? What are the next steps?
RR: Yes, it has been my privilege to have been involved in the process leading to the creation of CCT since the first exploratory meeting in September 2001. It officially came into existence when the by-laws were adopted in Atlanta in March 2006, and we had a public liturgical celebration of CCT’s creation when we met in Pasadena in February 2007. So it is very much up and running -- and now also has an Executive Administrator with support staff. CCT is now focusing on the themes of poverty in the United States and evangelization. In my mind there is no question that the creation of CCT will be seen as a watershed in the history of ecumenism in our country, a development for which we should all be thankful.
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