The Church and ecumenism in the thought of John Henry Newman

Abstract

This article explores the development of Newman's thought on the Church, throughout different phases of his long life. The article focuses, among other themes, on the nature of the Church, the important introduction to his "Via Media" (1877), the charismatic dimension of the "ekklesia", and the respective roles of the pope, the bishops and the laity, in particular what the latter can contribute to the whole People of God. The article also delves into the question whether one can talk about ecumenism in the writings of the influential nineteenth-century man of letters and opinion leader. The conclusion offers some final considerations on what Newman underwent during his long and meandering journey with regard to some basic tenets of his ecclesiology.