Who we are and what we do

Constitution of the Societas Oecumenica

The Societas Oecumenica is guided by its Constitution, which was adopted at the 3rd European Conference of Ecumenical Institutes on 21 September 1978 in Driebergen, the Netherlands, and subsequently revised in 1980 and 2022. Constitution...

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Polarizations as a challenge to society and churches

The 23rd Academic Consultation of the Societas Oecumenica: Utrecht in 2026

This Academic Consultation will critically examine phenomena of polarisation in church and wider society and investigate initiatives toward depolarisation. Recently, political discourse has become increasingly divisive and societal dynamics have become tense and hostile. The...

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Societas Oecumenica

The European Society for Ecumenical Research Societas Oecumenica was founded in 1978.
The members are departments for ecumenical studies at European Universities of all confessions, Church related institutes for ecumenical studies as well as individual theologians from European countries who work in the field of ecumenical studies.
The main instrument for the work of Societas Oecumenica is the biennial consultation with lectures, workshops and open fora. The results of these academic consultations are published in peer-reviewed proceedings.
The Societas Oecumenica is a network of institutions and individuals that promotes ecumenical research by keeping members in contact with each other, contributing to their collaboration and exchange in the field of science and personal relationships.

Upcoming consultation

The 23rd Academic Consultation of Societas Oecumenica will take place in Utrecht, the Netherlands, from August 21 to 25, 2026.
  • Date
    August 21, 2026 -
    August 26, 2026
    Registration closed:
  • Venue
    Where:
    Utrecht (Netherlands)
    Adress:
    To be determined.
  • Churches in the Midst of Polarisation

    This Academic Consultation will critically examine phenomena of polarisation in churches and wider society and investigate initiatives toward depolarisation. Recently, political discourse has become increasingly divisive and societal dynamics have become tense and hostile. The consultation will consider the role of churches and ecumenical organisations in the midst of polarising dynamics, asking whether they should engage in advocacy or diplomacy, or adopt other approaches.

    News & reports

    Read the latest news about the activities of Societas Oecumenica and its members

    One of the main objectives of Societas Oecumenica is to promote research in the field of ecumenism. An important part of this process is the mutual exchange of information.
    In the News section you will therefore find information not only about the activities of the Standing Committee, but also about experiences, research projects or forms of cooperation in which members of the Societas Oecumenica are involved.