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French Protestants enter 'new era of relations' with Taize Community
2002-180-1
7/18/2002
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[Episcopal News Service]
Leaders of the French Protestant Federation (FPF) have signaled what they are calling a 'new era of relations' with Taize, one of the best-known ecumenical religious communities in Europe. The official delegation's recent visit to the hilltop community was the first since 1989.
Relations between the FPF and Taize began to deteriorate in the 1970s after several developments offended Protestant sensitivities. Brother Roger, founder of the community, took a stand in favor of priestly celibacy, for example, and his right-hand man, Brother Max Thurian, converted to Roman Catholicism and was ordained to the priesthood in 1987. The community has nurtured close ties with several recent popes.
Taize has always maintained strong ties with foreign Protestant and Anglican churches. This summer, for example, several Lutheran bishops from Sweden and Anglican bishops from Great Britain will spend time at the community.
'Taize occupies a particular place in the religious landscape,' said Gil Daude, head of the FPF's ecumenical agency. 'At Taize young people experience faith in an ecumenical setting. They discover, as it were, the universal church.' Taize welcomes more than 100,000 youth every year for prayer and study. 'We also are concerned with training a new generation committed to ecumenism,' he added.
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