Seminar on Methodologies in Approaching Social and Ethical Issues

Abstract

"A WCC seminar on “Methodologies in approaching social and ethical issues: a case study” brought together around 35 participants from Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Protestant and Free churches, as well as persons representing partner ecumenical organizations, in Morges, Switzerland, 8-12 October, 2003. The purposes of the seminar was to look at differences and similarities in how churches reflect on, and respond to moral issues facing societies today. The seminar was a follow-up to the decision taken by the Special Commission on Orthodox participation in the WCC, to “provide opportunities for the churches to consult with one another, and wherever possible, to speak together”. The WCC took the initiative to organize a discussion on social and ethical issues by using the document “Bases of the social concept”, adopted by the Bishops’ council of the Russian Orthodox Church in the year 2000, as a principal case study. The following four areas were identified based on the structure of the above-mentioned document: The Church and social and political ethics, The Church and problems of bio-ethics and ecology, The Church and personal and public morality, International relations; problems of globalization. Each day began with a confessional prayer according to either the Protestant or Orthodox tradition. [...]", p.8.