Rightly understood, the term "ecumenical" always indicated twe dimensions - it relates on the one hand to the present churches in their manifold efforts to "grow together in mutual trust" (BЕМ, preface, p.ix) and to be open to each other for their teaching and life, and on the other hand it relates to the teachings and life of the church of all ages from the time of the apostles. The report pre- sented here is intended to point to this double dimension of the churches' ecumenical life and to serve them in their growing com- munion with one another.