Constitution

Adopted at the 3rd European Conference of Ecumenical Institutes on September 21, 1978, in Driebergen, the Netherlands. Modified at the 1st Membership Assembly of SO on September 19, 1980, in Münster, Germany and at the 21st consultation of SO on May 7, 2022 in Rabat, Malta

I. Name

The SOCIETAS OECUMENICA (European Society for Ecumenical Research) is an association of academic institutes and individuals for the promotion of international research in the ecumenical realm.

II. Objectives

The promotion of ecumenical research shall be carried out in particular by:

• regular international consultations, to which all members must be invited, and additional interested parties may also be invited;
• the dissemination of academic information on research findings and research plans (dissertations, projects, documentation);
• exchange of experience, deliberation, and cooperation on research and teaching, training and continuing education, as well as on current ecumenical issues; in order to establish and maintain contacts between its members, a membership list is made available to all members.
• the promotion of cooperation with regional and international ecumenical organizations.

III. Members

1. There are three types of membership:

(a) Institutional membership: ecumenical institutes and professorial chairs at Universities and Universities, as well as similar institutes of other institutions (such as churches and religious communities) which contribute to ecumenical research and education.

(b) Individual membership: individual academics active in the same fields.

(c) In addition, institutions and persons may become associate members of SOCIETAS OECUMENICA. With the exception of right to be elected, they enjoy all rights and obligations of other members.

2. The Standing Committee decides on the admission of new members on the basis of recommendations of two members. The committee may make its decision conditional on a vote of the Membership Assembly. 2

3. A membership list, which is made available to all members, consists of individual members’ name, surname, email, and institutional affiliation. For institutional members, the membership list includes the full postal address, phone number, and institutional email. This membership list is to be used only for the purposes of Societas Oecumenica and may not be handed over to third parties.

IV. Standing Committee

1. The Membership Assembly shall elect by a simple majority from among the members a Standing Committee consisting of five persons, including a president and a secretary.

2. The Standing Committee shall appoint a treasurer, who does not need to be a member of the Standing Committee.

3. The term of office of the Standing Committee shall be until the next Membership Assembly. A maximum of three members of the Standing Committee may be re-elected. Membership in the Standing Committee is limited to a maximum of three election periods.

4. The Standing Committee is required to convene, prepare, and run the next consultation in two to five years in accordance with the respective resolution of the Membership Assembly.

5. The Standing Committee may appoint working groups to prepare and run consultations. It can invite external presenters and guests.

V. Membership Assembly

1. The Membership Assembly shall be convened during the consultations in order to carry out its business; it shall adopt resolutions by a simple majority.

2. The Membership Assembly has a quorum if it has been duly convened.

3. All representatives of the member institutes shall be entitled to vote; individual members present shall be entitled to a single vote. If a member institute is represented by more than three members, the Standing Committee is to be notified before or during the Membership Assembly who amongst these institute members are the three persons entitled to vote. Individual members who also represent an institute have only one vote.

4. Resolutions on amendments to the constitution require a majority of two-thirds of the voters present.

5. Requests to amend the constitution must be sent to the members with the invitation.

VI. Finance

1. An annual membership fee may be charged to cover expenses.

2. In case of the dissolution of SOCIETAS OECUMENICA, the use of assets shall be decided upon.