Christian Unity was at the centre of Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks Friday to the participants
in the Plenary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Holy
Father expressed the hope that the Congregation might work closely and in a spirit
of fraternity with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in order
efficaciously to promote the re-establishment of full unity among Christians. Pope
Benedict identified “the structure of revelation” as the crucial problem that cuts
across and runs through all specific ecumenical dialogues: that is, the relation of
Sacred Scripture, the living Tradition of the Church and the ministry of the successors
of the Apostles as a witness to the true faith.
The Pope spoke of the relationship
between "capital T" tradition and the many valuable traditions among Christian groups.
He noted that the establishment of Ordinariates in keeping with the previsions of
the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus has been a major concrete
achievement, and a sign of the truth that there is, as he said, “in fact, a spiritual
richness in the many Christian confessions, a richness that is an expression of the
one faith and a gift to be shared.” Pope Benedict also addressed the developing moral
problematic in the ecumenical journey. “In our dialogues,” said Pope Benedict, “we
cannot ignore the great moral questions about human life, family, sexuality, bioethics,
freedom, justice and peace. It shall be important to be able to talk about these issues
with one voice, drawing on the basis in Scripture and the living tradition of the
Church. “Defending the fundamental values of the great Tradition of the Church,” said
Pope Benedict, “We defend humanity and we defend creation.” Listen