do you want to serve an ecumenical mission?

[Bernard Gui]

Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal and Elder Jeffrey Holland discussed serving a mission together. That would be an interesting development. Perhaps some of us here could partner up with our non-LDS board friends and go do some good. Who’s game?

“‘Wouldn’t it be great to actually go on a mission together? I’d be delighted to do that,’ the Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal, a theologian of the Church of England, said to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The idea underscored the Rev. Dr. Teal’s zeal to heal rifts between Christian faiths and the love and friendship he and Elder Holland have shared since they participated in a public theological exchange at the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford on Thanksgiving 2018.” 

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2021/4/7/22370083/anglican-priest-suggests-mission-with-latter-day-saint-apostle-elder-holland-lds-byu

Zeal to Heal. Good slogan. 

Edited April 8, 2021 by Bernard Gui

[Zeniff]

Inspires me to wonder what it must be like for celestial people to minister to terrestrial or telestial people.  We're all in the same kingdom of God, I reckon.  Just different degrees or levels of it.

And yes of course I am game for this kind of thing.  Preaching to the whole world is a lot better than just preaching to those in the Lord's church.

[rongo]

What would that look like in practice, though? We would have to back way off of exclusive truth claims/authority with a "ecumenical mission." If the goal is to appear more like other Christian churches, that's one thing. If it's seeking to gather Israel through the ordinances of the priesthood and the temple, that doesn't mesh with ecumenism. 

[Zeniff]

1 minute ago, rongo said:

What would that look like in practice, though? We would have to back way off of exclusive truth claims/authority with a "ecumenical mission." If the goal is to appear more like other Christian churches, that's one thing. If it's seeking to gather Israel through the ordinances of the priesthood and the temple, that doesn't mesh with ecumenism. 

Ecumenism 101:  promoting unity among the world's Christian Churches by preaching what our church has in common with each one of their churches, one church at a time.  

Ecumenism 201: with that level 101 unity in our minds, we begin to teach them the additional things our Lord has taught us while they teach us any additional teachings our Lord has taught them.

Ecumenism 301: we focus more on helping everyone see how our Lord is and has been trying to help all of us become as united as he is with our Father in heaven

And if our Lord teaches any of us anything else, we share that with everybody else everywhere too.

[CA Steve]

I suggested something similar a while back regarding couples. Lets say you have one spouse who is active and the other who is not or who may not even be a member. Is there any reason such a couple could not go on a service mission? Only the active one would receive a "call' while the other one could be "on assignment". The inactive or non-member could be asked to observe certain standards similar to what non members who attend BYU do.

[rongo]

4 minutes ago, CA Steve said:

I suggested something similar a while back regarding couples. Lets say you have one spouse who is active and the other who is not or who may not even be a member. Is there any reason such a couple could not go on a service mission? Only the active one would receive a "call' while the other one could be "on assignment". The inactive or non-member could be asked to observe certain standards similar to what non members who attend BYU do.

That would work for service/humanitarian. I wonder if the Brethren are skittish about non-members or inactive members serving in any capacity (even service only) as representatives of the Church? Would there be concerns about unendowed people serving as missionaries of any kind? 

[Zeniff]

1 minute ago, CA Steve said:

I suggested something similar a while back regarding couples. Lets say you have one spouse who is active and the other who is not or who may not even be a member. Is there any reason such a couple could not go on a service mission? Only the active one would receive a "call' while the other one could be "on assignment". The inactive or non-member could be asked to observe certain standards similar to what non members who attend BYU do.

People can go on missions without needing to be called by God.  People do that all the time, on a regular basis, in various other churches AND ours.  Everyone everywhere is free to preach about whatever they believe and do any type of service project they want to do.  If people want Church approval or assistance, whether from our church or some other church, they just need to ask for it so that each church is aware of what others are asking from it and then each church would decide whether or not to offer that assistance.

[Zeniff]

3 minutes ago, rongo said:

That would work for service/humanitarian. I wonder if the Brethren are skittish about non-members or inactive members serving in any capacity (even service only) as representatives of the Church? Would there be concerns about unendowed people serving as missionaries of any kind? 

Do you see any concern from the "Brethren" about people representing (or misrepresenting) the Church on this board?  We just had another session of General Conference and nobody mentioned what is going on here or on other websites.

[rongo]

1 minute ago, Zeniff said:

Do you see any concern from the "Brethren" about people representing (or misrepresenting) the Church on this board?  We just had another session of General Conference and nobody mentioned what is going on here or on other websites.

Nobody here is a called missionary for the Church. Apples and tire irons. 

[Zeniff]

6 minutes ago, rongo said:

Nobody here is a called missionary for the Church. Apples and tire irons. 

What?  You mean the field isn't white and ready to harvest anymore?  Or nobody here has a sickle?  What revelations from God are you reading, or not reading?  And still I see no concern here from the "Brethren" about anything that is going on here.

[rongo]

3 minutes ago, Zeniff said:

What?  You mean the field isn't white and ready to harvest anymore?  Or nobody here has a sickle?  What revelations from God are you reading, or not reading?  And still I see no concern here from the "Brethren" about anything that is going on here.

Huh?

[CA Steve]

23 minutes ago, rongo said:

That would work for service/humanitarian. I wonder if the Brethren are skittish about non-members or inactive members serving in any capacity (even service only) as representatives of the Church? Would there be concerns about unendowed people serving as missionaries of any kind?

I don't know but without a doubt such a mission would result in the baptism/reconversion of many who participated. 

[Zeniff]

7 minutes ago, rongo said:

Huh?

What part of what I said did you not understand?  I was saying anyone can be a missionary, whether or not they are called by any church officials.  Everyone everywhere is free to share their beliefs and opinions with all other people, though that doesn't mean everyone will be welcomed or given a special invitation to speak. And some people might even be put to death for sharing their beliefs.  That has happened before and could very well happen again.  But still, 

O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

In other word, you don't need a special invitation from anyone in Salt Lake City, Utah, to be able to serve the Lord as a missionary of his gospel.  Many people who aren't even associated with the Church, which is his church, are serving him without that.

[rongo]

23 minutes ago, Zeniff said:

What part of what I said did you not understand?  I was saying anyone can be a missionary, whether or not they are called by any church officials.  Everyone everywhere is free to share their beliefs and opinions with all other people, though that doesn't mean everyone will be welcomed or given a special invitation to speak. And some people might even be put to death for sharing their beliefs.  That has happened before and could very well happen again.  But still, 

O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

In other word, you don't need a special invitation from anyone in Salt Lake City, Utah, to be able to serve the Lord as a missionary of his gospel.  Many people who aren't even associated with the Church, which is his church, are serving him without that.

We all know this. 

I'm talking about official church missions, not people doing their own thing. 

[Zeniff]

7 minutes ago, rongo said:

We all know this. 

I'm talking about official church missions, not people doing their own thing. 

Okay, then I'll go back to the question I asked you before you focused on whether or not a missionary was acting in an official capacity.

Do you see any concern from the "Brethren" about people representing (or misrepresenting) the Church on this board?  We just had another session of General Conference and nobody mentioned what is going on here or on other websites.

[HappyJackWagon]

1 hour ago, Bernard Gui said:

Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal and Elder Jeffrey Holland discussed serving a mission together. That would be an interesting development. Perhaps some of us here could partner up with our non-LDS board friends and go do some good. Who’s game?

“‘Wouldn’t it be great to actually go on a mission together? I’d be delighted to do that,’ the Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal, a theologian of the Church of England, said to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The idea underscored the Rev. Dr. Teal’s zeal to heal rifts between Christian faiths and the love and friendship he and Elder Holland have shared since they participated in a public theological exchange at the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford on Thanksgiving 2018.” 

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2021/4/7/22370083/anglican-priest-suggests-mission-with-latter-day-saint-apostle-elder-holland-lds-byu

Zeal to Heal. Good slogan. 

That's a really cool idea!

[CA Steve]

45 minutes ago, Zeniff said:

We just had another session of General Conference and nobody mentioned what is going on here or on other websites.

I can't tell you how disappointed I was that not one of my brilliant posts on this forum was mentioned in General Conference. Someone really dropped the ball.

[CA Steve]

3 hours ago, rongo said:

What would that look like in practice, though? We would have to back way off of exclusive truth claims/authority with a "ecumenical mission." If the goal is to appear more like other Christian churches, that's one thing. If it's seeking to gather Israel through the ordinances of the priesthood and the temple, that doesn't mesh with ecumenism.

I do believe it would not be practical in a mission the way we use the word and I expect Dr Teal may have had a different idea of what a mission would entail than Elder Holland. But as I suggested above, such a mission could work if it were a service mission. What a great message there would be in members of two different churches working together to build a house of worship for a third church!

[The Nehor]

Unless it is some kind of humanitarian aid mission.....uhhhh....no.

[MiserereNobis]

Let's do it. I'll wear a white shirt and you learn to speak Latin. 

[Amulek]

3 hours ago, Zeniff said:

We just had another session of General Conference and nobody mentioned what is going on here or on other websites.

Well, I heard that Elder Oaks tried to start a thread about the Constitution and ended up getting banned. So we're probably on the naughty list for another year.  

 

[Zeniff]

6 minutes ago, MiserereNobis said:

Let's do it. I'll wear a white shirt and you learn to speak Latin. 

How about I baptize and you pray a Hail Mary?  After we each take a turn to do the preaching.

[mfbukowski]

4 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

...Teal’s zeal to heal...

Oh my.  Love it! 

[MiserereNobis]

9 minutes ago, Zeniff said:

How about I baptize and you pray a Hail Mary?  After we each take a turn to do the preaching.

I'd try, Ahab, but I'm afraid our missionary partnership might have some friction. I'd probably end up praying lots of Hail Mary's  

[Zeniff]

9 minutes ago, MiserereNobis said:

I'd try, Ahab, but I'm afraid our missionary partnership might have some friction. I'd probably end up praying lots of Hail Mary's  

That could still work.  I would try to baptize as much as you would pray a Hail Mary.  And friction is helpful for kindling the fire power of the Holy Ghost.  We could both be like the Blues Brothers!