Wieczerza Pańska i posługiwanie duchowne jako problem ekumeniczny

Abstract

Ecumenical dialogue of different Churches has deepened the conviction that there already exists among them a fundamental ontological unity in Christ which is his own gift. This unity is rooted in God himself and should not therefore be considered as a minimal common denominator. One of the paradoxes of the present ecumenical situation is that in spite of many substantial agreements achieved during the last decades on Eucharistie doctrine, not all baptized Christians are invited to the full participation in the Lord’s Supper. The paper stresses the need to re-evaluate the role of the Baptism as a basic bond of unity. It also emphasizes the fact that it is the risen Christ himself who invites his disciples to the Eucharistie celebration. The Church is not above the Eucharist but has to accept the divine gift with thanksgiving, without having it at its command. The author pleads for a more flexible attitude of the Churches towards the Eucharistie hospitality. The Eucharist should not be seen exclusively as crowning human efforts to reach the fuli unity in the faith, but also as a therapeutic means which helps to heal the wounds of division. The Eucharistie communion may thus precede and anticipate the fuli visible communion of the Churches. The present-day debate on ecclesiastical ministry seems also to point out to this possibility. A special attention is paid in the paper to the important witness of the early Christian tradition in Alexandria where Christians followed the Jewish model of citywide organization. There is evidence for this in the strength of the πρεσβύτεω who not only elected the bishop (έπίσχοπος) from their number but apparently ordained him as well. The presbyters of Alexandria formed an electoral college of whose number the new bishop would be elected and, moreover, as electors they also ordained the successor. Many ecumenical documents have been too much directed to the past. They lack prophetical courage and longsighted view of the future. For this reason the final part of the paper underlines the need for prophetical initiatives.