wfn.org | Stone-Campbell Christians explore ‘common ground'

["Office of Communications"<wshuffit@oc.disciples.org>]

Date: June 16, 2000
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
E-mail: CWillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

Contact persons:  
	Mike Armour, Churches of Christ, mcarmour@flash.net;   
	John Mills, Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, 		Drjpm@ohio.net; 
and 
	Robert Welsh, Disciples of Christ, rwelsh@ccu.disciples.org 

00b-29

	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Exploring "common ground" was the focus of a June 
1-2 meeting of representatives from churches related to the Stone-Campbell 
Movement.

	The 18-member dialogue team, comprising persons from the 
(non-instrumental) Churches of Christ, Christian Churches and Churches of 
Christ, and the Indianapolis-based Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 
met at Madison Church of Christ, Nashville, Tenn. This was the second 
meeting of the team.

	In particular, the group examined the churches' understanding of the 
faith and their shared history. Discussions centered around written 
presentations that identified how each church understood "what we hold in 
common."

	Gary Pearson, minister of the Westminister Church of Christ, Baltimore, 
Md.; James North, vice-president for academic affairs at Cincinnati (Ohio) 
Bible College and Seminary; and Peter Morgan, president of the Disciples 
of Christ Historical Society, Nashville, Tenn., drafted the three 
statements offered at the meeting.

	The discussion revealed surprising agreement upon the basic elements of 
the content of the Christian faith. Yet, while this offers promise for the 
future of these conversations, it was also recognized that there are 
difficult and substantial issues of disagreement existing between the 
churches that must still be addressed, according to team members. These 
issues will be the focus of the representatives' Nov. 27-28 meeting in 
Cincinnati.

	In bringing together results from the first two sessions, the dialogue 
team drafted a common statement of "Confession of Sin and Affirmation of 
Faith." The statement includes an invitation to members of the three 
churches "to join us in this confession and affirmation of faith, and to 
make them their own."

	The statement begins with a "clear word" that "division in the body of 
Christ is sin -- contrary to Christ's will." It then declares that "we 
have been guilty of dividing the body of Christ in thought, word, and deed 
. . .. We have deeply wounded one another through misrepresentation, 
suspicion, mistrust and defamation." 

	In the statement of affirmation, the dialogue sought to express the 
common faith each holds as disciples of Christ.

	The November meeting will also look to the future of the Stone-Campbell 
Dialogue, with a "strong, shared commitment" by participants to open it to 
congregations and members. 

(Editor's note: Copies of the "Confession of Sin and Affirmation of Faith" 
and papers from the first two dialogue sessions may be accessed on the 
Internet at the Council on Christian Unity's web page, 
www.disciples.org/ccu/documents.) 

Confession of Sin and Affirmation of Faith:
An Invitation from the Stone-Campbell Dialogue
June 2000

CONFESSION OF SIN
	
Division in the body of Christ is sin — contrary to Christ's will (John 
17).	

As Christians, we who are members of Churches of Christ, Christian 
Churches and Churches of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of 
Christ) are part of a movement that was in its beginning given a special 
trust to promote the visible unity of Christ's church.  This movement, 
begun in the early nineteenth century by leaders like Barton W. Stone and 
Alexander Campbell, has a great heritage of focusing on Christian unity.

Instead, we have been guilty of dividing the body of Christ in thought, 
word, and deed. Many of us have fortified the spirit of division and have 
failed to do what we should have done to prevent or overcome division.

This betrayal of our trust has impoverished the whole church of Christ and 
weakened its mission. 

We have deeply wounded one another through misrepresentation, suspicion, 
mistrust, and defamation.

We, therefore, participants in the Stone-Campbell Dialogue, confess to God 
and to each other that we are guilty of the sin of division and of 
harboring and maintaining a spirit of division.	
We now bring to God our brokenness and repent of the sin of division.  We 
ask God for forgiveness. We ask God to heal us so that our Movement within 
Christ's church can more perfectly embody the unity to which we are 
called.

Assured of God's mercy and forgiveness, we pledge to move forward in the 
service of unity within this family of faith to benefit the whole church 
and the world.

AN AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

As disciples of Jesus Christ

We confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and 
proclaim him  risen Lord and Savior of the world.

In Christ's name and by his grace we accept the mission to proclaim the 
gospel to all the world and live in loving service to all people.

We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth, and in the covenant of love 
that binds us to God and one another.

Through baptism into Christ we enter into newness of life and are made one 
with the whole people of God.

By the gift of the Holy Spirit we are joined together in discipleship and 
in obedience to Christ.

At the table of the Lord, each week we celebrate with thanksgiving the 
saving acts and presence of Christ and proclaim the Lord's death until he 
comes.

Within the Body of Christ we receive the gifts of ministry and accept the 
authoritative witness of  scripture.

In bonds of Christian faith we yield ourselves to God and one another that 
we may serve the One whose kingdom has no end.

Blessing, glory and honor be to God forever.  Amen.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
* * 

We invite all those of this heritage to join us in this confession and 
affirmation of faith, and to make them their own.
	

Signed: 

Mike Armour, Pulpit Minister, Skillman Church of Christ, Dallas, Texas -- 
Churches of Christ

Paul Blowers, professor, Emmanuel School of Religion -- Christian Churches 
and Disciples of Christ

Raymond Brown, retired minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Douglas Foster, professor, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas -- 
Churches of Christ

Richard Hamm, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples 
of Christ)

Susan Higgins, professor, Milligan College, Milligan, Tennessee -- 
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

Byron Lambert, retired, Professor of Philosphy -- Christian Churches and 
Churches of Christ

John Mills, minister, Remsen Christian Church, Brunswick, Ohio -- 
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

Peter Morgan, president, Disciples of Christ Historical Society, 
Nashville, Tennessee -- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Phillip Morrison, editor, Wineskins Magazine, Franklin, Tennessee -- 
Churches of Christ

James B. North, vice-president for Academic Affairs, Cincinnati Bible 
College and Seminary -- Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

Gary Pearson, minister, Westminister Church of Christ, Westminister, 
Maryland -- Churches of Christ

Jimmy Sites, Pulpit Minister, Madison Church of Christ, Nashville, 
Tennessee -- Churches of Christ

Sharon Watkins, Senior Minister, Disciples Christian Church, Bartlesville, 
Oklahoma -- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Henry Webb, retired professor, Milligan, Tennessee -- Christian Churches 
and Churches of Christ

Robert Welsh, president, Council on Christian Unity, Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ)

Newell Williams, professor, Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, 
Indiana -- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)