This agreement was made by Church leaders in 2010
I wonder what happened?
What steps were taken to put these statements into a practical form for action?
Edinburgh 2010
COMMON CALL
As we gather for the centenary of the World
Missionary Conference of Edinburgh
1910, we believe the church, as a sign and
symbol of the reign of God, is called
to witness to Christ today by sharing in God’s
mission of love through the
transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
1. Trusting in the Triune God and with a
renewed sense of urgency, we are
called to incarnate and proclaim the good news
of salvation, of forgiveness of sin,
of life in abundance, and of liberation for all
poor and oppressed. We are
challenged to witness and evangelism in such a
way that we are a living
demonstration of the love, righteousness and
justice that God intends for the
whole world.
2. Remembering Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross
and his resurrection for the
world’s salvation, and empowered by the Holy
Spirit, we are called to authentic
dialogue, respectful engagement and humble
witness among people of other
faiths – and no faith – to the uniqueness of
Christ. Our approach is marked with
bold confidence in the gospel message; it
builds friendship, seeks reconciliation
and practises hospitality.
3. Knowing the Holy Spirit who blows over the
world at will, reconnecting creation
and bringing authentic life, we are called to
become communities of compassion
and healing, where young people are actively
participating in mission, and
women and men share power and responsibilities
fairly, where there is a new
zeal for justice, peace and the protection of
the environment, and renewed liturgy
reflecting the beauties of the Creator and
creation.
4. Disturbed by the asymmetries and imbalances
of power that divide and trouble
us in church and world, we are called to
repentance, to critical reflection on
systems of power, and to accountable use of
power structures. We are called to
find practical ways to live as members of One
Body in full awareness that God
resists the proud, Christ welcomes and empowers
the poor and afflicted, and the
power of the Holy Spirit is manifested in our
vulnerability.
5. Affirming the importance of the biblical
foundations of our missional
engagement and valuing the witness of the
Apostles and martyrs, we are called
to rejoice in the expressions of the gospel in
many nations all over the world. We
celebrate the renewal experienced through
movements of migration and mission
in all directions, the way all are equipped for
mission by the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, and God’s continual calling of children
and young people to further the
gospel.
6. Recognising the need to shape a
new generation of leaders with authenticity
for mission in a world of
diversities in the twenty-first century, we are called to
work together in new forms of
theological education. Because we are all made in
the image of God, these will draw
on one another’s unique charisms, challenge
each other to grow in faith and
understanding, share resources equitably
worldwide, involve the entire human
being and the whole family of God, and
respect the wisdom of our elders
while also fostering the participation of children.
7. Hearing the call of Jesus to
make disciples of all people – poor, wealthy,
marginalised, ignored, powerful,
living with disability, young, and old – we are
called as communities of faith to
mission from everywhere to everywhere. In joy
we hear the call to receive from
one another in our witness by word and action, in
streets, fields, offices, homes,
and schools, offering reconciliation, showing love,
demonstrating grace and speaking
out truth.
8. Recalling Christ, the host at
the banquet, and committed to that unity for which
he lived and prayed, we are called
to ongoing co-operation, to deal with
controversial issues and to work
towards a common vision. We are challenged to
welcome one another in our
diversity, affirm our membership through baptism in
the One Body of Christ, and
recognise our need for mutuality, partnership,
collaboration and networking in
mission, so that the world might believe.
9. Remembering Jesus’ way of
witness and service, we believe we are called by
God to follow this way joyfully,
inspired, anointed, sent and empowered by the
Holy Spirit, and nurtured by
Christian disciplines in community. As we look to
Christ’s coming in glory and
judgment, we experience his presence with us in the
Holy Spirit, and we invite all to
join with us as we participate in God’s
transforming and reconciling
mission of love to the whole creation.
The Edinburgh 2010 Common
Call emerged from the Edinburgh 2010 study
process and conference to
mark the centenary of the World Missionary
Conference, Edinburgh 1910.
The Common Call was affirmed in the Church of
Scotland Assembly Hall in
Edinburgh on 6 June 2010 by representatives of world
Christianity, including
Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox, Pentecostal, and
Protestant churches. For further information, see www.edinburgh2010.org
