THE P RTAL
November 2014
Page 20
Receptive Ecumenism,
what is it?
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane meet Professor Paul Murray
of Durham University and an expert on Receptive Ecumenism
D
urham is
a beautiful city. The Cathedral, various University buildings, the wonderful railway
viaduct and the narrow streets; they all go to make it a wonderful place to visit. Those who are lucky
enough to live in Durham are fortunate indeed.
Recently we drove north to visit this stunningly
picturesque place in order to meet a remarkable
man. Professor Paul D. Murray is a Professor in the
Department of Theology and Religion at Durham
University, and having met him at the Catholic
Writers’ Guild, he had agreed to be interviewed for
The Portal.
Parking in Durham is a problem, more so if you
have to run the gauntlet of the University Police.
Fortunately we had been given permission to park in
the exclusive Palace Green, squeezed as it is between
Professor Murray’s Department and the wonderful
Durham Cathedral.
ecumenism, engagement with
mission and prayer
Professor Murray was disarming from the first.
“Call me Paul” he said. He comes from “Immigrant
Irish Catholicism and Lancastrian Working-Class
Recusantsey in Liverpool” and became interested in
ecumenism, engagement with mission and prayer
together, whilst a student. Paul has held various
academic positions before settling at Durham. The
atmosphere in his Study is, like its host, relaxed. He is
a happy man who is at home with people.
other Churches the question is not what they need to
learn from you, but what you can learn from them.
is it legitimate
“So far we have been pursuing ecumenism on the
basis that differences are based on misunderstandings.
Clear these up and progress will be made. We must
admit that great progress has been made. Many believe
that these differences are different ways of expressing
the same truth. But we must also admit that we have
Paul is a systematic theologian who joined the reached the end of this road. It is not just a case of
Department in September 2002. Since 2008 he has misunderstanding. For example with regard to
also served as the Director of the Centre for Catholic women’s ordination, is it legitimate or not?
Studies (CCS) within the Department. The CCS is the
UK’s first permanent centre devoted to pioneering
This is not merely about a misunderstanding, there is
research and teaching in Catholic theology in the a substantive difference here. There are many divisive
public academy.
issues. Decision making is another one. It is different in
the Catholic Church from the Methodists or Baptists
what you can learn from them
or the CofE and Orthodox. It is a dilemma.
We were interested in “Receptive Ecumenism” which
Paul has written about in various church magazines. the ecumenical journey
He told us, “It is rather like J. F. Kennedy’s famous
The Catholic Church is on the ecumenical journey
th
remark in his Inaugural Address, on 20 January1961, for the long term. Is the aspiration for structural and
“ask not what your country can do for you — ask what sacramental union a cul-de-sac? The vehicle we have
you can do for your country.” When speaking with been using has taken us thus far, but we have reached
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