Economic globalization poses tremendous challenges in our world today, which we as churches cannot avoid facing. Many of its assumptions and outcomes challenge how we understand God, human beings, life in community, and our spiritual and ethical calling as the church. In the face of forces that exclude, impoverish and destroy life and hope, we as churches affirm God's promise of life and wholeness for the entire creation as the oikos (household) of God.

Churches around the world are already deeply involved in struggling with and addressing these realities. Many are participating in continuing ecumenical processes, such as the inter-related regional consultations initiated by the World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (Warc) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). At these consultations, churches have shared, analysed and spoken out against the negative effects of economic globalization as experienced in their particular contexts. The distinction was made between globalization as long term historic process and the current political-economic project driven by the neo-liberal paradigm. Through these ecumenical encounters there has been growing recognition of the need to bring together and deepen our understanding of the different ecclesial entry points in order to read the signs of the times, resist, engage constructively, and nurture practices of transformation.

From December 11 to 14 2002, at a consultation in the Swiss village of Cartigny, near Geneva, theologians and some economists exchanged and probed ecclesial entry points associated with Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions. We discussed how understandings of covenant and confession, eucharist, the indwelling Christ, and communion are helpful in empowering resistance and alternatives to the logic of neo-liberal economic globalization. We also explored how expressions for mystical realities such as the family of God and the body of Christ could provide new insights into what it means to be the church in the face of economic globalization. Some of us focused on the transcendent, mystical reality of the Church, corresponding to an emphasis on the immanent Trinity. On the basis of an understanding of how the triune God continues to act in history, others of us focused on how historical changes affect the churches and may lead to their distortion.

We were particularly keen to find out how our respective approaches and understandings are seen by others and were excited to discover how our various perspectives can complement each another. In learning from and questioning each other's approaches, we realized that what is at the heart of these complementary entry points is a common focus on the quality of relationships that human beings and communities have with each other and with the earth. As relationships have become distorted under some of the processes of economic globalization, we agreed that these processes need to be challenged systemically.

We share a common quest for greater solidarity, love, compassion and justice in the face of enormous power inequities. But this vision needs to be further and more concretely developed, and placed at the core of alternatives to economic globalization.

The church's preaching and the celebration of the sacraments can be compromised when we are complicit in systemic injustices and the exploitation of life. We realize how the eucharist, rightly understood and practiced, embodies and enacts reconciled and just relationships and a foretaste of fulfilled life for all in community. Whenever the eucharist is celebrated without regard for its transformative power, its integrity and potential is denied. In a similar way, the language of covenant, communion and confession are to remind us of the need to work for the transformation of distorted relationships and life-threatening processes. Without this, their language is rendered meaningless. From this perspective, engaging in clarity, critique, alternatives, and practical action is not adiaphorous but integral to the church's very being and witness.

We frequently reminded ourselves of the efforts that have already been made in this area. One example is the WCC study Ecclesiology and Ethics regarding the link between eucharist and covenant. The study concluded that churches not only have an ethic but ethical engagement is intrinsic to the very being of church. In the light of this conclusion, it raised the question whether any particular church can be fully church if the churches as a whole are not engaged with the burning ethical issues of the world.

This discussion needs to be expanded to include additional voices and traditions:

in clarifying other ecclesial entry points;
in further developing the links between different ecclesial entry points;
in deepening the understanding of the complementarity of the traditions;
in expressing more clearly and concretely how solidarity, love, compassion and justice inform and shape alternatives to economic globalization.

We expressed our eagerness for others not present at the consultation to share and develop ecclesial entry points generic to their traditions that are relevant to the challenges, and to explore the relationships between them.

In the midst of the deep despair, seeming lack of alternatives and powerlessness that overtake so many today, we proclaim and embody a hope that is grounded in faith in the triune God.

For further information on the consultation, or to register your interest in the ongoing process of reflection and consultation, please contact one of the following:

Dr Karen Bloomquist, Lutheran World Federation
Dr Park Seong-Won, World Alliance of Reformed Churches
Dr Martin Robra, World Council of Churches

150 route de Ferney, PO Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland