Dobro kvalificiran i kao povjesničar i kao neposredni promatrač i sudionik u raznim aktivnostima današnjeg "ekumenskog pokreta", B.B. Beach, promatrač na Drugom vatikanskom saboru s lakoćom i preciznošću prolazi kroz povijesne pozadine i aktualna pitanja. Autorovo poznavanje ekumenskih povijesnih razvoja i aktualnih trendova u mnogim dijelovima svijeta omogućuju mu da na zanimljiv, koristan i autoritativan način ilustrira različite tvrdnje koje iznosi. On pošteno ukazuje na snažne doprinose suvremenog ekumenizma, ali i nepokolebljivo upozorava na njegove ranjive točke i slabosti. Značajno je da tijekom cijele njegove rasprave on opetovano ukazuje na biblijsku perspektivu u odnosu na različita pitanja s kojima se bavi.Well qualified both as an historian and a firsthand observer and participant in various activities of the present-day "ecumenical movement," B. B. Beach, an observer at the Vatican II., traverses with ease and accuracy both the historical backgrounds and the current issues. The author\u27s familiarity with historical antecedents and with current trends in many parts of the world enable him to illustrate in an interesting, helpful, and authoritative way the various points that he makes. He indicates with fairness modern ecumenism\u27s strengths and contributions, but also unflinchingly calls attention to its vulnerable points and weaknesses. And it is notable that throughout his discussion he repeatedly calls attention to the biblical perspective in relationship to the various issues with which he deals
