Concerning Ulf Ekman’s involvement with the Catholic Church.

Charisma magazine concerning Ulf Ekman’s involvement with the Catholic Church.

What does the call to unity stand for? Or, down to earth: where does the rubber meets the road?

http://synergistic.wordpress.com/2008/11/28/what-does-the-call-to-unity-stand-for-or-down-to-earth-where-does-the-rubber-meets-the-road/

November 28, 2008 •

Dagen reports about an article in the November issue of the Charisma magazine written by Tomas Dixon concerning Ulf Ekman’s involvement with the Catholic Church. Those who know me and the ministries that I have been involved in during the last 25 years know that I have always been an advocate of unity in the body of Christ. Since the beginning of the 80ties I have related and worked for unity across denominational and cultural borders. Even our own church (www.newlife.nu) http://www.newlife.nu/newlife/extern/start.php is an example of that as people from over 40 nations from all kind of different backgrounds, cultures, ages, and languages experience “togetherness” in Christ Jesus in the centre of Stockholm.

A foundational value that has characterized our church and which I have taught from the early stages on is found in the history of the Moravian Movement (by the way, my view on what church is to be is grounded in numerous teachings and praxis from the beginning stages of the Salvation Army, the Moravian Movement, the Anabaptists and the Methodist church). The Moravian Movement declared:”In essential beliefs we have unity. In non-essential beliefs we have diversity. In all our beliefs we show charity.”

Essential – basic, central, key, secret, source, basis, recipe, means, solution, answer, explanation, vital, major, strategic, planned, tactical, calculated, deliberate, premeditated, considered, intentional, secret, covert, underground, top secret, hush-hush, cloak-and-dagger, closet, underhanded, surreptitious, furtive, sly, stealthy, confidential, private, surprise, secret, skeleton in the cupboard, mystery, enigma, riddle, source, pitch, register, tone, scale chief elemental, obligatory,

Diversity – mixture, combination, mix, blend, concoction, fusion, jumble, muddle, blend, range, variety, assortment, range, miscellany, uniformity, sameness, equality, equivalence, homogeny, standardization.

For me the teachings of Jesus as found in the New Testament become alive in this quote… It gives me hand and feet to flesh out the unity Christ called for. It helps me understand where the rubber meets the road; with other words how I can implement true unity.

I have always looked for common ground within essential beliefs among those of a Christian tradition and/or background and have made it my core value to speak and live in such way by affirming this common ground. However, if I have to live as I teach there are obvious boundaries or if you will, limitations to what I can stand for.

The Church political climate in Sweden is such that it is hard to step out of line… after many years of divisions, church-cultural and theological misunderstandings and disunity, the ones who consider themselves “Church” have gone into what I would call “survival mode”. Finally we have started to look at the “essentials” but at the same time have overemphasized the “united front outlook” which removes the differences and hot potatoes which still make us different.

I understand Ulf Ekman’s approach after having been isolated from the rest of the “Church” in Sweden in many different ways (isolation, not only because his/their former approach and teachings, but also because of the unwillingness of the rest of us to understand and embrace them).

What do I want to say? I became converted having a non-believing Roman Catholic background with my whole extended network of former friends and family still within that entity (most of them have remained without faith in Christ and the Bible). I worry when I read in the above mentioned article: In April and October evangelicals gathered in Örebro, Sweden’s evangelical center, to caution against the trend and to point out that unity to Catholics always meant, and still means, bowing to the pope. Bishop Arborelius seemed to affirm that view, saying: “We cannot bypass the personal wish of Jesus that all unity must relate to the apostle Peter,” that is to the papal office… Arborelius continued, “I think that [Ekman and others] now see the key role of the pope as a symbol of unity and the importance of the virgin Mary.”

When reading the quotes by Arborelius I react; here we do not speak about unity in regards to the “essentials” of Christian faith as I see it. These statements call me to a hold. Of course we don’t only deal with the Roman Catholic Church; in our nation we are involved with the different Orthodox churches as well which have their uncompromising views on some of these issues also!

I know it is Church Politically incorrect to even dare touch these issues. Honestly speaking, I can have fellowship with friends in the Roman Catholic Church but some of them have views on the essentials of Christian faith that I know would not be endorsed by the Pope. The fact is that if their views would become publically known by the Vatican that they might be asked to leave the church.

So where does your rubber meet the road? I told you some of my journey, what about yours?
That’s the Way I see it (not necessarily the right way!)

John


•
Elisabeth Hammarlund-Lorenzsonn // January 13, 2009 at 12:19 pm | Reply
Preparing the way
of the Lord or the Anti-Christ?
True unity has to be the work of the Holy Spirit and based on the Truth as revealed in the Word of God.
Unity where these ingredients are missing is only based on human effort and is in reality a compromise.
True unity is a natural consequence of being in Christ together with other believers who are also walking in the light.
The Pope talked about “unity”, “economic crisis” and a “new world order” in his Christmas address.
Who do you want to follow?
I have decided to follow Jesus.
Jesus said:”Follow me” and I said “Yes”.
I hope you do too.

Ekman kritiseras och kritiserar i USA

http://www.dagen.se/dagen/article.aspx?id=160606

Ekman påstås uppmana kristna att böja sina huvuden ”under påven”
Textstorlek | Publicerad: 2008-11-28 06:00 | Uppdaterad: 2008-11-29 16:54

Amerikanska magasinet Charisma publicerade nyligen en artikel om att Ulf Ekman kritiseras för sitt ekumeniska arbete. Ekman tyckte att rapporteringen var överdriven och snedvriden och har därför skrivit en replik.

"Efter eldfängda kontroverser på 1980- och 1990-talen för sin trosförkunnelse, är nu svenske pastorn Ulf Ekman åter omdebatterad för sin omfamning av katolska och protestantiska ledare som försvarar ett enande av alla kristna 'under påven'".

Så inleds artikeln som var publicerad i novemberutgåvan av månadsmagasinet Charisma, med en upplaga på omkring 250000. Vidare redogör artikeln för den förändring som skett i Ulf Ekmans och Livets ords hållning till Katolska kyrkan. Bland annat nämns att katolske biskopen Anders Arborelius varit gäst på samtalskväll i församlingen "utan konfrontation kring kontroversiella frågor", och att Ekman predikat på Östanbäcks kloster, där "Enhetens kyrka" byggs, samt donerat pengar till arbetet.

"Inte sant"???

Ulf Ekman kom till tals i artikeln och förklarade sitt engagemang och sina ståndpunkter, däribland en redogörelse kring att han inte ser Katolska kyrkan som "Den stora skökan" som Uppenbarelseboken i Bibeln talar om.

Den finns, menar han, rakt igenom alla kyrkotraditioner men tillägger att det även är så att Kristi kropp finns inom alla kristna rörelser och samfund och "med säkerhet i Katolska kyrkan".
När Ulf Ekman läste Charismas artikel reagerade han på helheten och har skrivit en replik som nu finns utlagd på Charismas hemsida.

"Artikeln presenterar ett väldigt begränsat och vinklat perspektiv kring vad som verkligen händer i Sverige. Den säger indirekt att jag tillbringar mina dagar med att ivrigt uppvakta kristna svenskar att böja sina huvuden 'under påven'. Det är helt enkelt inte sant", skriver han.

Svensk journalist

Vad som däremot är sant, enligt Ekman, är att det finns en fördjupad gemenskap och enhet mellan pastorer, ledare och biskopar från olika traditioner, däribland Katolska kyrkan vilket han skriver att han är glad över
.
Kritiker finns, menar Ulf Ekman, men inte alls så många som han tycker att artikeln i Charisma ger sken av.???

"Vad som är slående i detta enhetens skeende, är att kritikerna är förvånansvärt få. Er artikel ger känslan att kritikerna mot enhet är starka och utbredda", skriver han och tillägger att de allra flesta kristna ledare är för det enhetsarbete som pågår.

Artikelförfattaren, svenske frilansjournalisten Tomas Dixon som arbetat för Charisma i 10-15 år, kommenterar kritiken så här:

-Ekman fick läsa artikeln i förväg och hade inga anmärkningar på det som stod, inget var felciterat. Däremot fanns önskningar om annat som de tyckte borde vara med, som att endast en av talarna på Europakonferensen var katolik, men som jag inte tyckte hörde till den här artikeln.

Carl-Henric Jaktlund
Reporter
carl-henric.jaktlund dagen.se


Swedish Pastor Call for Unity Criticized

Monday, 24 November 2008 http://charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/332-news/18050-swedish-pastor8217s-call-for-unity-criticized_

Read more: http://charismamag.com/index.php/news/19439#ixzz0o0Co2TK5

Some observers say charismatic minister Ulf Ekman is opening the door too wide to Catholicism


[11.24.08] After stoking controversy in the 1980s and 1990s for his Word-Faith message, Swedish pastor Ulf Ekman is again at the center of debate for his embrace of Catholic and Protestant leaders who advocate uniting all Christians “under the pope.”

In recent years, the prominent pastor of Word of Life in Uppsala has been associating increasingly with Catholic leaders, and introducing his followers to Catholic and Orthodox theology, in particular through his teaching magazine, Keryx.Yet Ekman insists he is not adopting Catholicism but simply broadening his theology and promoting a “unity of the heart.”

“God has spoken to me as powerfully concerning unity as He did concerning the faith message,” Ekman told Charisma. “With secularism and Islam taking over in Europe, revival slogans won’t suffice. The need of the hour is a powerful, effective unity including the historical churches.”

He said Pentecostals and charismatics have become “sectarian and elitist.”
“Our understanding of revival is too narrow,” he said. “We make too strict a distinction between revivalist and cultural expressions of Christianity.”

Viewing the Catholic Church as the “whore of Babylon” is “untenable,” he added.

Untenable – unacceptable, unfounded, invalid, faulty, unsustainable, indefensible,

“With so much apostasy and denying of fundamental truths among Protestants, even in Pentecostal and charismatic churches, who are we to point fingers at the Catholics?” Ekman said. “The whore is present in all denominations. But then again the body of Christ is also in all denominations and certainly in the Catholic Church.” ???

Ekman’s views are being welcomed by many Swedish church leaders as interest in Catholic and Orthodox spirituality, Catholic pilgrimages and monastery-like retreats grows rapidly in Pentecostal and charismatic circles. The Catholic bishop of Sweden, Anders Arborelius, told Charisma that so “many Protestants approach the Catholic Church with high expectations” that he is “barely coping.”

Others are deeply worried. In April and October evangelicals gathered in Örebro, Sweden’s evangelical center, to caution against the trend and to point out that unity to Catholics always meant, and still means, bowing to the pope. Bishop Arborelius seemed to affirm that view, saying: “We cannot bypass the personal wish of Jesus that all unity must relate to the apostle Peter,” that is to the papal office.

The criticism doesn’t deter Ekman. He speaks at Catholic charismatic gatherings and invites charismatic Catholics to speak in his church. He is also interacting increasingly with Oasis, a hub of the charismatic Lutheran renewal in Sweden. Combining a high church, liturgical profile with a broad ecumenical approach, Oasis may be the biggest charismatic movement in the country.

In the 1980s and 1990s Ekman was not on speaking terms with charismatic Lutherans. A Lutheran priest before he planted his independent charismatic church, Ekman often sparred with his former denomination because of his prosperity message.

But in 2007, Ekman preached at the Oasis Pentecost Conference, and in 2008 he was a guest of honor at the Oasis Summer Conference, taking a seat on the platform during the sermon of the event’s most renowned speaker—the pope’s “personal preacher,” Franciscan monk Raniero Cantalamessa.

Ekman has also invited Bishop Arborelius to a “night of exchange” at Word of Life, intentionally not confronting him with controversial questions and hugging him as a “brother in Christ.”

“It felt good receiving the Catholic bishop in such a manner,” Ekman said. “My heart is to do away with prejudices. We need to discover and recognize each other. Unity begins at heart, not with theology.” ???

Ekman said he does not feel “under obligation” to address the theological issues dividing Catholics and Protestants—“that is not where we are at.” But supporters and critics alike interpret Ekman’s new thrust in theological terms.

Bishop Arborelius told Charisma, “Some of the dogmatic accents [of the Catholic Church] that were perceived of as threatening are now seen [by Ekman and others] to be helpful.”

Even though the Catholic position is “not fully accepted,” Arborelius continued, “I think that [Ekman and others] now see the key role of the pope as a symbol of unity and the importance of the virgin Mary.”

As he avoids theological debates with Catholic leaders, Ekman challenges those in revivalist circles to re-think some of their theology. “The Lakeland [Fla.] events highlight the need to tie in with classical doctrines and with a stricter understanding of the church offices,” Ekman said. “If anybody can proclaim himself a leader, the result is confusion. We need to develop a consciousness of history. The early church was not [a bunch of] happy charismatics. There was much more order and structure than we have been taught.”

Particularly upsetting to many critics is Ekman’s involvement with the Östanbäck monastery, located an hour’s drive west of Uppsala. Though nominally Lutheran, the monastery’s leader, Abbot Caesarius Cavallin, is an ardent advocate for uniting all Christians under the pope, and he publicly refers to Ekman as a “pillar of support.”

Ekman has donated money to the new Church of Unity to be built at Östanbäck, and in a sermon at the monastery he referred to Mary as the “eternal virgin”—Catholic terminology signifying that Mary remained a virgin in spite of her giving birth to Jesus and being married.

“That was but one sentence that I threw out to test if there are dogmas that we have let go off,” Ekman said of the reference. “I find it very interesting that all reformers up until and including Wesley held the view [of Mary’s virginity]. The other interpretation was first introduced by liberal theologians.”

He said he likes the atmosphere at Östanbäck, and Cavallin is an old colleague. “That is why I have contributed to their new church,” he said. –Tomas Dixon in Sweden

Response from Pastor Ulf Ekman

Charisma published a news article about the ecumenical developments in Sweden and specifically my role in this. The article presents a very narrow and biased view of what is actually happening in Sweden. ??? It implies that I spend my days urging Swedish Christians to bow their heads “under the pope.” That is simply not true.???

What is true is that we see a development toward a stronger and more deepened unity among pastors, bishops and leaders from all denominations and churches. I am glad to say that this includes the Catholic Church and I strongly endorse this development.

Development – growth, expansion, progress, enlargement, improvement, advance, increase, maturity, training, education, advancement, promotion, expansion, enhancement, intensification, escalation, enlargement, reinforcement, event, happening, occurrence, incident, stage, change, alter, modify, vary, transform, revolutionize, adjust, amend, exchange, swap, replace, substitute, trade, switch, convert, alteration, modification, variation, transformation, revolution, conversion, adjustment, amendment, difference, loose change, cash, coins.

Collaborations, multidenominational gatherings and spiritually warm conversation among leaders are taking place to a degree that has not been seen for decades. I am utterly convinced that this is a move of God, to prepare the church for what is to come. ??? It is not a political controversy.

As always when we see a move of God, there are critics. What is striking in this development of unity, though, is the critics are surprisingly few. ??? Your article gives the impression that the critique against unity is strong and prevalent. To the contrary, most Swedish Christian leaders endorse the development toward unity. It is sad that Charisma readers were presented a biased view. ???

Striking – arresting, conspicuous, signal, warning sign, sign, marker, indication, indicator, remarkable, noticeable, evident, manifest, in full view, marked, show.

Pastor Ulf Ekman
Uppsala, Sweden

Read more: http://charismamag.com/index.php/news/19439#ixzz0o0CwB6IY

Swedish Pastor Call For Unity Criticized
Friday, 31 October 2008

Some observers say charismatic minister Ulf Ekman is opening the door too wide to Catholicism
After stoking controversy through the last 25 years for his Word-Faith message, Swedish pastor Ulf Ekman is again at the center of debate, this time for his embrace of Catholic and Protestant leaders who advocate uniting all Christians “under the pope.”
In recent years, the prominent pastor of Word of Life in Uppsala has been associating increasingly with Catholic leaders, and introducing his followers to Catholic and Orthodox theology, in particular through his teaching magazine, Keryx. Yet Ekman insists he is not adopting Catholicism but simply broadening his theology and promoting a “unity of the heart.”
“God has spoken to me as powerfully concerning unity as He did concerning the faith message,” Ekman told Charisma. “With secularism and Islam taking over in Europe, revival slogans won’t suffice. The need of the hour is a powerful, effective unity including the historical churches.”

Viewing the Roman Catholic Church as the “whore of Babylon” is “untenable,” he added. “With so much apostasy and denying of fundamental truths among Protestants, even in Pentecostal and charismatic churches, who are we to point fingers at the Catholics?” Ekman said. “The whore is present in all denominations. But then again the body of Christ is also in all denominations and certainly in the Catholic Church.”

Ekman’s views are being welcomed by many Swedish church leaders as interest in Catholic and Orthodox spirituality, Catholic pilgrimages and monastery-like retreats grows rapidly in Pentecostal and charismatic circles. The Catholic bishop of Sweden, Anders Arborelius, told Charisma that so “many Protestants approach the Catholic Church with high expectations” that he is “barely coping.”

Others are deeply worried. In April and October evangelicals gathered in Örebro, Sweden’s evangelical center, to point out that to Catholics unity always meant, and still means, bowing to the pope. Arborelius seemed to affirm that view, saying: “We cannot bypass the personal wish of Jesus that all unity must relate to the apostle Peter,” that is, to the papal office.
The criticism doesn’t deter Ekman. He speaks at Catholic charismatic gatherings and is interacting increasingly with Oasis, a hub of the charismatic Lutheran renewal in Sweden. Combining a high church, liturgical profile with a broad ecumenical approach, Oasis may be the largest charismatic movement in the country.

A Lutheran priest before he planted his independent charismatic church, Ekman often sparred with his former denomination in the 1980s and 1990s because of his prosperity message. But in 2007, Ekman preached at the Oasis Pentecost Conference, and in 2008 he was a guest of honor at the Oasis Summer Conference, taking a seat on the platform during the sermon of the event’s most renowned speaker—the pope’s “personal preacher,” Franciscan monk Raniero Cantalamessa.
Ekman has also invited Arborelius to a “night of exchange” at Word of Life, intentionally not confronting him with controversial questions and hugging him as a brother in Christ. “My heart is to do away with prejudices,” Ekman said. “We need to discover and recognize each other. Unity begins at heart, not with theology.”

Ekman said he does not feel “under obligation” to address the theological issues dividing Catholics and Protestants—“that is not where we are at.” But supporters and critics alike interpret Ekman’s new thrust in theological terms.

Arborelius told Charisma that Ekman and others are seeing some controversial Catholic “dogmatic accents” as helpful. And though the Catholic position is “not fully accepted,” he said, “I think that [Ekman and others] now see the key role of the pope as a symbol of unity and the importance of the Virgin Mary.”

As he avoids theological debates with Catholic leaders, Ekman challenges those in revivalist circles to rethink some of their theology. “The Lakeland, [Fla.], events highlight the need to tie in with classical doctrines and with a stricter understanding of the church offices,” Ekman said.

“If anybody can proclaim himself a leader, the result is confusion. We need to develop a consciousness of history. The early church was not [a bunch of] happy charismatics. There was much more order and structure than we have been taught.”

Particularly upsetting to many critics is Ekman’s involvement with the Östanbäck monastery, located an hour’s drive west of Uppsala. Though nominally Lutheran, the monastery’s leader, Abbot Caesarius Cavallin, is an ardent advocate for uniting all Christians under the pope, and he publicly refers to Ekman as a “pillar of support.”

Ekman has donated money to the new Church of Unity to be built at Östanbäck, and in a sermon at the monastery he referred to Mary as the “eternal virgin”—Catholic terminology signifying that Mary remained a virgin in spite of her giving birth to Jesus and being married.
“That was but one sentence that I threw out to test if there are dogmas that we have let go off,” Ekman said of the reference. “I find it very interesting that all reformers up until and including Wesley held the view [of Mary’s virginity]. The other interpretation was first introduced by liberal theologians.”

He said he likes the atmosphere at Östanbäck, and Cavallin is an old colleague. “That is why I have contributed to their new church,” he said.
—Tomas Dixon in Uppsala, Sweden

Read more: http://charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/332-news/18050-swedish-pastor8217s-call-for-unity-criticized_#ixzz0o0H5Uh9Y

Luther

Likewise, where the gospel is absent and human teachings rule, there no Christians live but only pagans, no matter how numerous they are and how holy and upright their life may be.

Inlagt av Leif Berg