Modern Ecumenism and the Cult of Reason of the Enlightenment Period

The interest in ecumenism in socio-philosophical research is probably associated with the fact that the spread of ecumenical ideas since the second half of the 20th century is a part of a postmodern cultural transformation. Modern ecumenism, including projects of unification of religions, may try to erode or eliminate the supernatural, since it defines the particularity of a religion and, therefore, prevents the unification of religions. The complex attitude to the supernatural, demonstrated by modern ecumenist projects, seems to be connected with the Enlightenment cult of reason, which not only dictated the need for social reform on a rational basis, but was also imbued with the fear of the irrational (including the supernatural). Thus, the origins of modern ecumenism can be seen in the cult of reason of the Enlightenment period. The study of the Enlightenment origins of modern ecumenism can be focused on the peculiarities of the philosophy of language, especially on the problem of the relation between language and religion. The philosophy of language of the Enlightenment is associated with social criticism. Within the framework of social analysis, religion is also comprehended: according to the Enlighteners, it does not provide for the common good, but can be transformed. This is the description of the ecumenical project of a universal religion of the Enlightenment. The philosophy of the Enlightenment gave modern ecumenism a few features: (1) the idea of morality as a result of cognitive activity, i.e., a link between ethics and epistemology; (2) the recognition of the need to reform religion on a rational basis; (3) the understanding of religion as justice; (4) the erosion or elimination of the supernatural. The analysis of the postmodern formulation of the philosophy of language also allows seeing some ecumenical projects as a “meeting” of the Enlightenment discourse with the radically different, i.e., the supernatural. The reforms of religion (including ecumenism) commit to resist the fear of the supernatural by appropriating religion, making it quite inconsistent with its essence.

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