This was the first of two online conversations exploring the past, present, and future perspectives of the institute’s work. Participants from different denominational and regional contexts shared experiences of their time at Bossey and reflected on how the institute’s formation continues to contribute to reconciliation, visible Christian unity, common witness, and diakonia. Fr. Dr Lawrence Iwuamadi, Bossey academic dean, provided a conceptual explanation of Bossey as a laboratory for ecumenism, where students are able to arrive with their existing identities, beliefs, and convictions without feeling that they have to abandon them. “People come to Bossey with who they are, with their identities, their understanding of Christianity,” he said. “The majority of our students will tell you that they leave Bossey more convinced about their identity.” Rev. Dr Dagmar Heller, from the Protestant Church of Baden and former academic dean at Bossey, expanded the laboratory metaphor, emphasizing that prayer is at the heart of the Bossey experience. "The prayer life was and is probably still the center of everything, because in the daily morning prayers people who come from different backgrounds for the first time normally experience the difference with the other’s prayer expressions. But as time goes by, they get to know each other better, they become friends also on other levels, and then all of a sudden, it's much easier to pray together, although we are so different.” Ani Torosyan, a Bossey student during the 2024-2025 academic year, shared that she didn't have many opportunities to interact and encounter with people from different Christian traditions before coming to study at the Ecumenical Institute. "Bossey opened my eyes to the diversity of Christianity and to reality that was very different from the one I had experienced before and these different realities made me feel out of my comfort zone in the beginning,” she said. “Bossey does not simply introduce you to a diverse Christian world, it also challenges you to seek unity within that diversity and this begins with the looking at your own church and tradition from a wider perspective.” Bossey alumnus Rev. Jebin Thankaraj, was also a speaker of the webinar. For Rev. Dr Martin Illert, professor of ecumenical social ethics at Bossey and WCC programme executive for Faith and Order, who moderated the conversation, "this webinar truly celebrated the unique impact of ecumenical formation at Bossey. I was impressed and pleased by students, staff and audience coming from many different ecclesial and regional backgrounds, but all sharing the common experience of transformation at Bossey,” he said. The webinar forms part of Bossey’s 80th anniversary celebrations, highlighting the institute’s continuing role in preparing people for ecumenical engagement and strengthening the global fellowship of churches. The next webinar will be held on 7 September. Watch the recording of the webinar WCC special page: Bossey 80th anniversary Learn more about the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey
Webinar: 80 Years of Bossey in the mirror of theological biographies | 
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