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Importance of the sacrament of reconciliation in the liturgy of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church; a historical outline.

This work, whose theme was prompted by the present-day question about «intercommunion», seeks objectively to investigate how early Christianity dealt with similar problems. The question is pursued from its roots in Judaism up to the time of Cyprian, who marks the end of a certain stage of development in the matter. The study is concerned mainly with the evolution of eucharistic excommunication.

Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches has always been a paradox -- enthusiastically committed and yet plagued by complaints. This situation has lately reached crisis proportions: two Orthodox churches have withdrawn their membership; more threaten to follow. Is this an 'Orthodox problem'? Or is there something fundamentally wrong with the ecumenical machinery? In this book, two theologians -- one an Orthodox and one a Lutheran -- engage in an extended dialogue to illumine some of the issues and possible ways forward. The issues they discuss fall squarely within the agenda of the Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC, which was created in Harare in 1998.

The author: "If the values of Jung's good news are to be realized, the religious horsemen of death must first be faced. Jung fingers them. They are faith, hope and charity, clothed in religious or political certitude."