Importance of the Worldwide Church

• What is reconcilliation?

  • Reconciliation is restoring harmony after relationships have broken down 
  • Christians believed humans were reconciled to God through Jesus’ death and resurrection - this means Jesus’ death and resurrection helped to restore the relationship between God and humanity , which had been broken by sin

  
• What have Christians been taught about reconciliation, and why is it important?

  • For Catholics, the sacrament of Reconciliation also helps to restore people’s relationship with God 
  • Matthew 5:23-24 teaches that Christians should be reconciled to each other  
  • Therefore reconciliation is therefore an important part of the Church’s work and they strive to reconcile with people   
  • This might involve anything from trying to restore relationships between individual people, to working for peace between different religious groups , or nations at conflict

  
• What are some examples of organisations working for reconciliation?

  • The Irish Churches Peace Project 
  • The World Council of Churches 
  • The Community of the Cross of Nails 
  • The Corrymeela Community
• What is The Irish Churches Peace Project?

  • The Irish Churches Peace Project brings Catholics and Protestants together in Northern Ireland 
  • The project aims to develop peace and understanding between these two denominations

  
• What is the World Council of Churches?

  • The World Council of Churches works for reconciliation between different Christian denominations and members of other faiths 
  • For example, the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace initiative supports inter-religious dialogue and cooperation

  
• What is the Community of the Cross of Nails?

  • After the bombing of Coventry Cathedral in World War II, local Christians showed forgiveness to those responsible, and the cathedral became a world centre for reconciliation  
  • The cathedral is home to the Community of the Cross of Nails which works with partners in other countries to bring about peace and harmony 

  
• What is the Corrymeela Community?

  • The Corrymeela Community brings together people from different backgrounds, including people of different faiths or political leanings 
  • They meet at a residential centre in Northern Ireland to build trust and explore ways of moving away from violence so they can work together constructively