Two of our team were in Oxford last week for continuing work with the Henry Chadwick Collection. On the left you see the renowned Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford. The other is a small piece of tangible evidence of Sir Chadwick's dedication to ecumenism: a briefcase from the Extraordinary Synod of 1985, the theme of which was "Celebration, Verification, Promotion of Vatican II".
From the LA Times, Dec. 6, 1985 (http://articles.latimes.com/1985-12-06/news/mn-599_1_pope-stresses-unity):
ReplyDelete"During the first interfaith worship service ever held at a Roman Catholic synod, Pope John Paul II on Thursday said that separation between Christians is 'intolerable' and led a prayer asking forgiveness for the 'sins' of division.
'Divisions among Christians are contrary to the plan of God," the pontiff said in a brief sermon, given in English, during the 40-minute service of Christian unity. "Those who are the bearers of his (Christ's) mission must themselves be reconciled.'
...
After the sermon, the Pope exchanged the 'peace,' or greeting, by embracing the Rev. Jacques Maury of the World Council of Churches, the Rev. Henry Chadwick of the Anglican Communion and Archbishop Stylianos Harkianakis of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia. The three observers were seated on the raised platform with John Paul and read Scripture passages in the multilingual service."