My name is Ian Campbell. I am 29 years old, and I’m in my 3rd year as an M.Div student at Brite Divinity School. It was a true pleasure and honor to be asked to represent the Disciples of Christ, alongside my amazing colleague Fiyori Kidane, as part of the inaugural cohort of the CUIC Institute for Ecumenism. It is in the best sense that I say that it feels like the 9 months that we spent together as a cohort went by way too fast. I am going to miss having the monthly time to submerge myself in big conversations about the future of the “Big C” Church from the perspectives of many “little c” churches and the diverse array of denominations represented, some I did not even know existed before this cohort began!
The Institute for Ecumenism served as a space of encounter, study, mutual support, and collective dreaming among young representatives of the UMC, AME, CME, Episcopal Church, Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Moravian Church, and the International Council of Community Churches. We were enriched by the perspectives of denominational and ecumenical leaders who were committed to holding space well, inviting thoughtful participation, and to sharing their experiences and insights with us regularly.
Each member communion brings crucial gifts from their experiences and their particular emphases to the whole church.
I found in the CUIC Institute a solid education in the breadth and depth of the Christian church, and one of my key takeaways was that each member communion brings crucial gifts from their experiences and their particular emphases to the whole church. In complaining about the “fracturing” of the church, it is easy to overlook these gifts. Before our in-person gathering in Cleveland this summer, I was under the impression that Churches Uniting in Christ would look like us all working toward a day when there are no more denominations. I imagined a goal that all these communions would one day “sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is but one body” (Stone, Barton Warren and McNemar, Richard, “Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery” (1804). Foundational and Controversial Stone-Campbell Movement Documents. 8. 
). This experience helped me realize that the ecumenical movement has long moved on to a much richer vision of a united Church in which each denomination keeps its unique flavor, leaning into that uniqueness as a gift to the whole body while working toward “full communion” with one another. I am especially moved by efforts to increase the number of member communions who jointly recognize each other’s clergy. Another key learning for me was just how far our forebearers in the ecumenical movement have taken us already. A particularly striking example was learning of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, in which the Catholic Church and Lutheran World Federation took major steps in resolving their original theological differences that spurred the Protestant Reformation. From the outside looking in, it can feel disheartening to look at a Church that seems so far away from Jesus’ John 17 vision. However, this cohort empowered the group to see ourselves as having a role to play in an already incredibly rich history of ecumenism.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the cohort was the few days we spent in Cleveland together. It was refreshing to be able to spend so many hours together in-person enjoying good meals, encouraging conversation, and most especially, a joint worship experience. I was one of the few non-ordained clergy in the group, and it was amazing to be able to sit back and let clergy from the UCC, Episcopal Church, and UMC- among others- plan a worship service together- complete with music, a sermon, and the eucharist. To be able to take the eucharist with people from such diverse backgrounds and perspectives was one of the more powerful experiences I have had in a very long time.
While our time together passed very quickly, the trip to Cleveland at the mid-point of the cohort allowed us to cement some lasting relationships. The cohort was built around Ministry Action Plans (MAPs), projects that each of us are carrying out in our local contexts to further ecumenical relationships, education, and practice. My colleagues are already moving forward with so many inspiring projects, and it is this action-orientation where the Institute for Ecumenism really gives me hope. I was so pleased to hear that a second cohort is already being planned, and I would love to continue to stay engaged in our “alumni network” to ensure that many more generations of young people take ecumenism to heart.
Interested in Ecumenical Formation?
If you are a young leader passionate about ecumenism and want to participate in next year’s CUIC Institute for Ecumenism, please contact Rev. Paul Tché, President of the CUIM, for more details. Contact Page
Additionally, another excellent opportunity for ecumenical formation is the Scholarship Program for Bossey, which provides young adults with a transformative experience in global Christian unity. Learn more here: Scholarship Program for Bossey.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the CUIM or the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).