146 PART TWO: AN EMPIRICAL ACCOUNT prayers that are taken by different churches. So… that’s why we call our prayer book ecumenical prayer book.354 The monastics refer to the ‘exchange of gifts’ in many more instances, making it a core concept in their lives and thought. They display a deep desire to accept and integrate the richness of other traditions and a rejection of any form of fear or exclusion. This, I suggest, is also key in understanding the willingness of the non-Catholics to accept the Roman Catholic Eucharist. If it is not a matter of competitive exclusion, it can be an inclusive way to rejoice in the gift of one particular church, without denying its existence in other traditions. No theological discussions: Building on essential consensus The exchange of gifts is obviously intertwined with an exchange of ideas. However, these ideas are not discussed in any structural or institutional way amongst the monastics, as far as I have seen. They indicate that discussing theological and ecumenical issues is not part of their daily routine. One reason for this seems to be that things evolve rather organically in Taizé. In line with the ideals of Brother Roger (for instance, his principle of the dynamics of the provisional), things are not particularly planned and organized, and there is no overall strategy to move things forward. The community responds to the unfolding of events rather than on the basis of a priori principles and ideas: If you look at the history of Taizé... ... there is no, no strategy... you read the first text of Brother Roger, and it's clear that it has something to do with common life, with searching Christ and following him... being available... ... strong emphasis on being a parable of community, of brotherly love, of the church, a sign... uh, but no, no... what would be tomorrow, or in five years or in ten years, no, no plan, no strategy really.355 In this sense, TB is impressed by the rule of Taizé, written by Brother Roger in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It does express some theological ideas and guidelines but did not need any adjustment when new brothers from nonReformed traditions joined the community: “And... it was old Reformed, or maybe later some Lutheran brothers, and then the Catholic brothers, and he didn't have to change any word of that... ... because everything was there. It fits also now.”356 354 BG-1,36. 355 TB-2,12. 356 TB-2,20.
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