The Diaconate in ecumenical perspective
The recent week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a good time to reflect on the 1700th anniversary of the ecumenical discussions which eventually resulted in the Nicene Creed. The joint publication of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance Called to Transformation – Ecumenical Diakonia | World Council of Churches p.89 states that ‘The importance of “diakonia” was also acknowledged in the canons of the undivided church, such as the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325). The church is sent to the world not only to preach and to save humankind but also to establish communities through which to serve the world in its material and spiritual needs. Witness, teaching and diakonia (service) were inseparable in the early church.
The Anglican understanding of ecumenical diakonia draws on the five marks of mission. The third of these marks, to respond to human need through loving service, is clearly identified with diakonia. Marks of Mission Ecumenical commitment is demonstrated by practices described in documents such as “To Love and Serve the Lord – Diakonia in the Life of the Church” (2012) and the Jerusalem Report of the Anglican–Lutheran International Commission (ALIC III). ‘Diakonia is deeply rooted in Scripture, an essential part of discipleship and Christian identity (Luke 4:18–19):
Diaconal ministry is grounded in worship, in the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, and lived out in discipleship. Through its ministry of diakonia the church offers a foretaste of God’s kingdom.
Speaking up for the diaconate
What might the diaconate contribute to the contemporary discussion of church unity? Firstly, it might draw inspiration from the young deacon Athanasius, who, with Arius, is one of the two protagonists in the Nicene Creed story.
The Bishop of Europe’s Lent course notes that Athanasius was much younger than Arius – in his late twenties at the time of the Council – and was not himself a bishop but rather a deacon and personal secretary to Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria. It was in this capacity that Athanasius debated and opposed Arius. Celebrating Nicaea Lent Course | Diocese in Europe
As there are few details of the vigorous debates that took place during the Council (which would make debates at the General Synod look tame by comparison!), the following fictionalized account brings it to life:
During a lull in the war of words, a priest with sympathies toward Arianism cornered Athanasius and said to him, “Why do you not admit it? You are fighting a losing battle. Do you not know at this moment the whole world is against Athanasius?
The undersized archdeacon threw back his shoulders and drew a long breath. He looked straight into the face of his heckler. His probing eyes flashed like the Northern Lights as he uttered the memorable words, “Is the world against Athanasius? So be it. Then Athanasius is against the world!”
(Against the World: The Odyssey of Athanasius, Inheritance Publications, 1992)
And he didn’t stop there! Three years after Alexander died, Athanasius succeeded him as Bishop, and continued the work of opposing the ideas of Arius and his followers.
The Diaconate as ecumenical opportunity
One of the recommendations of the Hanover Report (Paragraph 75, Anglican-Lutheran agreement, 1996 Lutheran) was that ‘The diaconate offers a theme for ecumenical exploration which can result in a more effective co-ordination of efforts to renew mission and liturgy both within and among these differing traditions.’
A Conference organised in Sri Lanka in 2012 by the World Council of Churches includes the recommendation:
Seek cooperation and collaboration with other churches, other faith communities, and people’s initiatives on relevant issues of people and life in each specific context. This may also include affirming diaconal actions as well as sharing resources. Diakonia WCC.pdf
As distinctive deacons, we have a unique opportunity to partner with other churches and to join in with what is already going on, working for reconciliation in the world.
Every year, the Anglican Church in the Hague takes part in a service of commemoration for the lives lost during the bombardment by the Allied Forces on March 3rd 1945 during the Nazi German occupation. The site of the former church in the Bezuidenhout (consecrated in 1873) was tragically destroyed by British bombs, months before the end of World War II:
The Cross of Nails was awarded to the city of The Hague in 1995 and the churches of Bezuidenhout in the context of the Bombardment Bezuidenhout on 3 March 1945. Coventry Council Netherlands : Participating church
At this ecumenical service, the Cross of Nails is placed on the altar table in the Christus Triumfator Protestant Church and the prayer of the Community of the Cross of Nails is prayed.
Coventry Cross of Nails Litany of Reconciliation
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,
Father forgive.
The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,
Father, forgive.
The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,
Father, forgive.
Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,
Father, forgive.
Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,
Father, forgive.
The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children,
Father, forgive.
The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,
Father, forgive.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
The service is attended by representatives from the local Roman Catholic church, including a Permanent Deacon. This is a non-eucharistic service, but both deacons play prominent roles in the liturgical actions, including the proclamation of the gospel. It’s an opportunity to commit ourselves to the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to the Church by Christ. The Collect of the day speaks of the reconciling love and power of God:
Almighty God,
you have committed to us
the ministry of reconciliation
of your Son, Jesus Christ;
give us the confidence in your power to forgive,
as your Son forgave us from the Cross.
Enable us to be witnesses of your forgiveness
at work and where we live.
Unite us in a sacred fellowship
to heal the hostilities we see,
and give us the grace to love one another,
rejoicing in this life together.
Amen.
What can I do next?
In our Diocesan and ecumenical partnerships, we can
- be proactive in networking and building contacts. Be outward- looking and creative in your ecumenical partnerships
- collaborate with the CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons
- speak to enquirers and support ordinands with resources
- advocate by raising awareness of the distinctive diaconate
- inform and build peaceful relations with priestly colleagues
- interview other vocational deacons
- participate in ecumenical services, conversations and events
Note: the title of this blog is taken from Maylanne Maybee, ‘Diaconate as ecumenical opportunity’, in The Diaconate in Ecumenical perspective: Ecclesiology, Liturgy and Practice, (ed. D.Michael Jackson, Sacristy Press, Durham, 2019), pp.132-44.
Deacon Dr Jonathan Halliwell
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 