Feature
Can We Hang Together?
Ecumenical Agreement on Religious Liberty Awaits Catholic Clarity
For at least a generation now, ecumenism and religious liberty have been very much intertwined, not least in what has come to be called the "ecumenism of the trenches." In a culture increasingly hostile to the Christian faith, those of differing confessions have made common cause in defending the freedom to act on those confessions. While both necessary and beneficial, this ecumenism for the sake of religious liberty does have certain shortcomings. Particularly, it is by its nature ad hoc, pragmatic, and under-theorized.
By way of contrast, the Second Vatican Council famously attempted to articulate principled theological rationales for both ecumenism and religious liberty. The Council not only addressed both issues; they were at one point intended to be treated together, in a single document. There is clearly some warrant, then, for treating religious liberty itself as an ecumenical issue. But does it—or might it—constitute ecumenical common ground? Despite various disagreements between Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox, do we—or can we—agree on religious liberty? And if so, how might the manner by which agreement is reached inform other ecumenical endeavors?
THIS ARTICLE ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
FOR QUICK ACCESS:
Korey D. Maas is an associate professor of history at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.
Get six issues (one year) of Touchstone PLUS full online access including pdf downloads for only $39.95. That's only $3.34 per month!
Get a one-year full-access subscription to the Touchstone online archives for only $19.95. That's only $1.66 per month!
bulk subscriptions
Order Touchstone subscriptions in bulk and save $10 per sub! Each subscription includes 6 issues of Touchstone plus full online access to touchstonemag.com—including archives, videos, and pdf downloads of recent issues for only $29.95 each! Great for churches or study groups.
Transactions will be processed on a secure server.
more on Catholic from the online archives
32.6—November/December 2019
on Taking Heed of the Parallels Between the Crises of Yesterday & Today by Korey D. Maas
35.4—Jul/Aug 2022
The Death Rattle of a Tradition
Contemporary Catholic Thinking on the Question of War by Andrew Latham
27.5—Sept/Oct 2014
The Culture of Death's Campaign Against the Catholic Church by Brantly Millegan
more from the online archives
31.6—November/December 2018
on Childhood Encounters with a Christmas Icon by Rebecca Sicree
26.1—Jan/Feb 2013
The Alternate & Alternative Worlds of H. P. Lovecraft & C. S. Lewis by C. R. Wiley
32.6—November/December 2019
Historical Truth, Beguiling Stories & Three Kinds of Hearers by Anthony Esolen
calling all readers
Please Donate
"There are magazines worth reading but few worth saving . . . Touchstone is just such a magazine."
—Alice von Hildebrand
"Here we do not concede one square millimeter of territory to falsehood, folly, contemporary sentimentality, or fashion. We speak the truth, and let God be our judge. . . . Touchstone is the one committedly Christian conservative journal."
—Anthony Esolen, Touchstone senior editor
