Definition of "ecumenism" []

• A movement promoting unity among Christian churches or denominations. (noun)
• A movement promoting worldwide unity among religions through greater cooperation and improved understanding. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Although the term ecumenism is widely used outside Catholic circles to refer to efforts at mutual understanding among all religions, or even between religion and atheism, the Catholic Church treats relationships with non-Christians very differently, because non-Christians have a fundamentally different relationship with Catholics than do other baptized Christians."
• "But if we allow "ecumenism" to become a code word for "You do your thing and I do mine," we're in trouble."
• "I want to argue, however, that ecumenism is much more fundamental than that."