Ballor explores the history of social economic statements by three ecumenical councils -- the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Council of Churches -- in light of two issues: a) the relation between the church statements and their underlying dependence on a particular view of political economy; and b) the question, for whom does the council speak? A third issue -- the question of what it means for an ecumenical council to make such statements in a More...

A fine and worthwhile book from Jordan Ballor, and a worthy work to re-launch Christian's Library Press. Ballor examines the economic assumptions that underlie much of the work of the modern Ecumenical movement, paying particular attention to recent actions of the Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Council of Churches. These economic assumptions - which in large part reflect a neo-marxist view of the world - have often led ecumenical bodies to issue More...

Here's my blurb that is printed inside this book's front matter:

With Ecumenical Babel Jordan J. Ballor gives us a much needed consideration of modern ecumenism. In particular he grapples with this daunting question: whether ecumenical bodies indeed speak for the church in their pronouncements on the hot-button social issues of the day. Wedding compassion with clear-headed thinking, Ballor questions whether ecumenical bodies may rightfully make such assertions on behalf of God’s people More...