wfn.org | Ecumenical Guests Greet Conference

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3128 notes).

Note 3127 by UMNS on Aug. 14, 1996 at 16:21 Eastern (5354 characters).

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CONTACT:  Thomas McAnally                         413(10-71){3127}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470            Aug. 14, 1996

Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox representatives
bring greetings to World Methodist Conference

by Thomas McAnally*

     RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- The Roman Catholic Church was
described as the "grandmother" of Methodism, during a world
gathering here Aug. 12, by the Rev. Geoffrey Wainwright, chairman
of the World Methodist Council's ecumenical committee.
     During his light-hearted introduction of guest speakers from
other Christian communions, the British Methodist clergyman who
teaches at Duke University Divinity School in North Carolina, also
said the Anglican Communion could be considered Methodism's
"mother."
     If that's true, quipped General Eva Burrows of the Salvation
Army, "then we are your offspring." Burrows, from Australia, gave
a major address during the ecumenical portion of the program
attended by council members and participants in the larger World
Methodist Conference (see separate story). More than 2,700 people
attended the event.
     The Anglican Church split from Roman Catholicism in 1534. The
Methodist movement was launched in England in the 18th Century by
Anglican clergymen John and Charles Wesley. William Booth, who
founded the Salvation Army late in the 19th Century, was an
ordained Methodist minister.
     These "family" connections surfaced as several ecumenical
guests were introduced. Bringing greetings to the conference were
the Rev. Timothy Peter Galligan, a staff member of the Roman
Catholic Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; the
Rev. Glauco Boares de Lima, Anglican primate of Brazil and Bishop
of Sao Paulo; and Bishop Gennadios of Buenas Aires, Argentina,
Orthodox bishop of South America.
     In a statement read by Galligan, the Rev. Edward Idris
Cardinal Cassidy, president of the Catholic Pontifical Council
said the Catholic Church values the work of a joint Methodist-
Catholic dialogue committee since it was organized in 1966. "We
have got to know each other better, we have established common
ground and come to understand how much more unites us in Christ
than divides us," he said.
     Although the road to unity seems long, Cassidy said he hoped
participants in the dialogue will "continue to persevere together
and in God's grace come to address all that at present seems to
separate us so that Methodists and Catholics may be able to
receive from each other all that is truly of Christ."
     Lima, the Anglican representative, expressed "penitence" on
behalf of a church that was not receptive to the work of the Holy
Spirit shown in the work of John and Charles Wesley, founders of
the Methodist movement. "There was a time for separation," he
said. "Now is the time for reunion."
     For many years British Methodists and Anglicans have explored
union. In a statement read by Lima, the Rev. Canon John L.
Peterson, secretary of the Anglican Communion in London, said, "I
am happy that links between Methodists and Anglicans continue to
grow stronger and stronger throughout the world. We pray for the
talks that are now taking place here in England between our two
great families."
     Noting the common heritage of the two groups, he said, "My
prayer is that we may be one in Christ so we can better use our
human and material resources to serve the world in his name."
     Gennadios, the Orthodox representative, said, "Christianity
is the only hope for a life of peace, love, justice and truth ...
The battlefields need peace."
     During their separate business session here Aug. 13, council
members took several actions related to ecumenical dialogue. They:
     * welcomed progress made in the dialogue with the Roman
Catholic Church, noting particularly a new report entitled "The
Word of Life" and authorized the dialogue to continue;
     * adopted a report from the international dialogue with the
Anglican Communion, recognizing that both Methodism and
Anglicanism belong fully to the one apostolic church of Jesus
Christ and established a working group to provide models for ways
the dialogue can be studied and implemented at national levels;
     * gave strong support to the establishment of a full official
dialogue with the Eastern Orthodox churches, noting how recent
developments in history have brought the Methodists and Orthodox
side by side in many parts of the world.
     Wainwright stressed that the World Methodist Council is not 
a legislative body but can make theological judgements and give
strong moral encouragement to the member churches. One great
success among Methodist dialogues, he said, has been with the
Lutheran Church. "Now Methodists have full recognition in 
Germany, Austria, Sweden and next year it is expected in Norway,"
he said. "This means that one church fully recognizes the ministry
and members in the other."
                              #  #  #
     * McAnally is director of United Methodist News Service,
headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.

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