Robert W. Jenson on ecumenism

Over at Even the Devils Believe, Chris Tessone discusses a recent interview with Robert W. Jenson on ecumenism. Jenson expresses his pessimism over the current state of ecumenism, but he also adds this note of hope for the future:

“To be sure, [my] pessimistic assessment indeed abstracts from the unpredictable work of the Spirit. When Pope Benedict XVI was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he said on several much-quoted occasions that further major ecumenical progress depended on a new ‘depth of faith’ worked by a new initiative of the Spirit. That can happen at any time and is what we should pray for—and prayer is the most optimistic act a creature can perform.”

And speaking of ecumenism, Thomas Adams has posted an excellent discussion of Eberhard Jüngel’s approach to the Joint Declaration on Justification.