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ecumenically

ecumenically

1 8.1
In a way that helps different Christian churches work together
  • adverb
  • /ˌɛkjuˈmɛnɪkli/
  • Specialized
: ecuménicamente
  • It is ecumenically oriented, using Bible teachings as its source, with interpretation left open to anyone who participates.
  • ecumenically oriented
  • ecumenically oriented churches

Examples

  • We sang our way, marched our way, worked, wept, and worshiped our way through the liberation movements of those turbulent times in our search for justice and peace, and we did this ecumenically.

    Academic text (2014)
  • It will be particularly important for those churches, some yet to be fully ecumenically engaged, for whom the urgency of the end of time is central to their faith and piety.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In that light, the communion discipline of the Methodist Church of Great Britain seems ecumenically responsible.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Grassroots cooperation and even ecclesiastical borrowing have yielded some very interesting results in the establishment of ecumenically attuned religious communities.

    Academic text (2013)
  • However, I was trained ecumenically by virtue of my matriculation in the liturgical studies program at the University of Notre Dame and by acquaintance there with a company of students drawn from an array of faith traditions.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Ecumenically, the recent council shared Newman’s relatively optimistic assessment of the possibilities of saving faith among non-Catholic Christians who remain in good conscience outside the Catholic communion.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The conference focused on ecumenically addressing the needs of various Christian communities.

  • To promote unity and understanding, many churches work ecumenically on social justice issues.

  • The group held ecumenically-oriented discussions to foster cooperation among different denominations.

Synonyms

harmoniously
vsecumenically
3 4.1

In a peaceful, friendly way without conflict

promotes unity and cooperation specifically among different Christian churches
collegially
vsecumenically
1 6.0

In a friendly, cooperative way with other people at work

applies to building unity across different Christian churches rather than among peers

Surface Forms

ecumenically positive

Morphology

ecumenically = ecumenical (transparent) = ecumenical + ly

Formation is a regular adverbial derivation from the adjective 'ecumenical' using the productive suffix '-ly', so the adverbial meaning is directly predictable from the adjective.

Etymology

The word ecumenically comes from the Greek oikoumenē meaning 'the whole inhabited world', and from the root oikos meaning 'house' or 'home', like in the word economy. So in church use it means doing things for the whole church and bringing different Christian churches together.