Ecumenism is a movement or belief aimed at promoting unity among different Christian denominations, seeking common ground in doctrine, worship, and practice. It emphasizes cooperation, dialogue, and shared missions to foster visible, practical Christian unity while respecting doctrinal differences. The term can also be used more broadly to describe interdenominational cooperation among Christian groups.
"The conference focused on ecumenism, encouraging leaders from various churches to collaborate on social outreach."
"Her work in local parishes demonstrates a commitment to ecumenism and shared community service."
"Scholars debated ecumenism's role in modern theology and its impact on church governance."
"The ecumenism initiative led to joint services and cross-denominational study programs."
Ecumenism derives from the Greek oikoumenē (household of the inhabited world, or the whole inhabited earth) from oikos (house, dwelling) and -menē (a collective suffix), connected with oikoumene in its meaning of the inhabited, or the world. The root concept in early Christian usage was the global church’s unity, with early ecumenical councils (e.g., Nicaea) shaping the term’s expansion. The modern sense emerged in the 19th century as Christian leaders sought organized cooperation across denominations, adopting the term ecumenism to describe movements that promote shared worship, dialogue, and social action. The 20th century saw formal ecumenical dialogues (e.g., World Council of Churches), translating ancient aims into institutional cooperation, social activism, and theological dialogue. First known uses appear in English religious discourse in the 19th century, with earlier roots in translations of Latin ecumenicus and Greek oikoumenikos, both referencing the entire inhabited world and the universal church.
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Words that rhyme with "Ecumenism"
-ism sounds
-sem sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Break it as e-CU-me-nism, with primary stress on the second syllable: /ɪˈkjuː.mə.nɪ.zəm/. Start with a short initial i, glide into the /kjuː/ cluster, then a schwa in the second to last syllable before a clear /zəm/ ending. Mouth: lips rounded for /juː/, jaw relaxes for /mə/; final /z/ is voiced, followed by a soft /əm/.
Common errors include: misplacing stress (putting emphasis on the first syllable e-), mispronouncing the /juː/ as a simple /ju/ without the diphthong glide, and softening the final -ism to an -izm without the /z/ clarity. Correction: maintain /ɪˈkjuː.mə.nɪ.zəm/, ensure the /juː/ is a single glide, and pronounce the final /zəm/ with a distinct /z/ followed by a schwa-plus-m.
In US English, you’ll hear /ɪˈkjuː.mə.nɪ.zəm/ with a rhotacized middle? actually US usually /ɪˈkjuː.mə.nɪ.zəm/; UK often /ɪˈkjuː.mə.nɪ.zəm/ with non-rhoticity keeping r-less syllables; Australian tends to a slightly longer /ˈiː.kjuː.məˈniː.zəm/ or /ˌiː.kjuːˈmiː.nɪ.zəm/?- depends on speaker; in general the second syllable /juː/ remains a clear /juː/ and final -ism is /zəm/.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure and the /ˈkjuː/ glide after the initial vowel, which often becomes a triphthong in rapid speech; the sequence /mə.nɪ.zəm/ can lead to vowels or consonants blending. Pay attention to the stressed second syllable and keep the /z/ crisp before the final schwa + m.
A unique challenge is the cluster /kjuː/ following the initial i, which may be reduced to a simpler /kju/ or merged in fast speech. Focus on preserving the /juː/ sound as a single smooth glide and delivering the secondary syllables clearly to avoid a slurred ending.
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