wfn.org | United Methodists, U.S. Catholics resume dialogue

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April 11, 2001 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
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NOTE:  Sidebar (UMNS story #178) available for use with this story.

By United Methodist News Service

Continuing a tradition that began in 1966, representatives of the United
Methodist Church and Roman Catholic Church in the United States have
initiated another round of dialogue.

Participants in the sixth round, with the theme "The Church in Each Place
and in All Places," had their first regular meeting March 26-28 at St.
Paul's College in Washington.  Discussion topics included the biblical
images of the church in Scripture and biblical images used in United
Methodist and Catholic teaching.

The Rev. Bruce Robbins, chief executive of the United Methodist Commission
on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, a sponsor of the dialogue,
said that United Methodists can learn much from the Roman Catholic
experience as a Christian church. "And our unique Wesleyan history as a
renewal movement within a larger church can be instructive as well, to
Catholics and United Methodists," he added. "We have much to learn from each
other on this subject."

Co-chairmen of the new dialogue are United Methodist Bishop Walter Klaiber
of Germany and Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., representing the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Klaiber and the Rev. Elizabeth Tapia, a United Methodist pastor from the
Philippines, have introduced an international element into the talks,
reflecting the global nature of the denomination. At the March meeting, for
example, Tapia spoke about the current debate within the United Methodist
Church in the Philippines about whether to remain as part of the
denomination or whether to become an autonomous church with strong ties to
the United Methodists.

A discussion also occurred about the ecumenical situation in Germany. In
that country, United Methodists have moved into full communion with the
Lutheran and Reformed churches, while the Catholic Church is a full member
of the council of churches.

The presence of Klaiber and Tapia allow the other members of the dialogue to
see themselves more clearly, according to Robbins. "I wish we could always
see who we are in relation to others, be they Catholics from home or United
Methodists from other nations," he added.

On an international level, dialogue between Methodists and Catholics came as
a direct result of contacts made during the Second Vatican Council between
1962-65. Representatives of the World Methodist Council and Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity have been meeting since 1967,
producing a report every five years. The next report, "Doing the Truth in
Charity," will be issued in July.

In the United States, the first round of dialogue covered issues ranging
from salvation to government aid to education to communication and resulted
in a document called "Shared Convictions About Education." A paper on
"Holiness and Spirituality of the Ordained Ministry" was produced during the
second round and the third focused on communion, with the publication of
"Eucharistic Celebration: Converging Theology - Divergent Practice."

"Holy Living, Holy Dying," the document of the fourth round of dialogue,
placed the issue of euthanasia into the wider context of ministry to the
suffering and the broad theological aspects involved. The fifth and most
recent round of dialogue, concluded in 1999, resulted in the publication of
a congregational study guide to stimulate discussion among local
congregations (See UMNS sidebar story #178).

While there has never been any doubt to the commitment on both sides of the
dialogue, some United Methodists were disturbed by "Dominus Iesus," a
controversial statement issued last September by Cardinal Edward Cassidy,
president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

In a Feb. 19 letter to Cassidy, Robbins said he understands the document
addresses internal matters within the Catholic Church and is consistent with
other formal statements, but finds "its spirit is quite different from
previous documents and poses new challenges for us."

The problem with Dominus Iesus, he wrote, is that it recognizes
denominations such as the United Methodist Church not as "churches in the
proper sense" but as "ecclesial communities." That "very painful
distinction" sets a tone that "undermines a commitment to mutual growth and
sensitivity within the Body of Christ that has been at the heart of our
relationship for many years."

In his letter, Robbins underscored the "great ecumenical progress" made
through bilateral, theological dialogues in recent years, but said he was
afraid the spirit of Dominus Iesus, a widely-distributed and publicized
document, "may harm this new-found understanding and growth together in
Christ" within local communities.

Robbins received a response, dated March 13, from Cassidy's successor,
Cardinal Walter Kasper. He noted that the Pope has repeatedly underlined the
Catholic Church's commitment to dialogue "and the whole ecumenical journey"
and enclosed the text of his homily at a Jan. 25 ecumenical prayer service.

"Please be assured that this Pontifical Council will continue all its
efforts to promote a dialogue in both truth and love between the Catholic
Church and all the Christian communities who also seek to respond to the
Lord's prayer that all his disciples may be one," Kasper's letter concluded.

Robbins said he appreciated the cardinal's response and the remainder that
the dialogue "be filled with truth and love."

The next meeting of the new dialogue is schedule for November. In addition
to Klaiber and Tapia, United Methodist representatives are Maxine Clarke
Beach, dean and vice president of Drew Theological School in Madison, N.J.,
the Rev. Norman "Ned" Dewire, president of Methodist Theological School in
Ohio, Alexis Kemmler, a lay person from Amherst, Va.,  Karen Scheib of
Candler School of Theology in Atlanta and the Rev. Josiah Young of Wesley
Theological Seminary in Washington. Robbins serves as staff to the team.

In addition to Skylstad, the Catholic team consists of Dennis Doyle of the
University of Dayton in Ohio, Richard Gaillardetz of the University of St.
Thomas at St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, the Rev. Rafael Luevano,
ecumenical officer of the Diocese of Orange, Calif., Barbara Reid of
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Sister Tracey Sharp of St. John's
Seminary College in Camarillo, Calif., Msgr. John Strynkowski, National
Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington and the Rev. Reginald Whitt of
the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Brother Jeffrey Gros, U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops, serves as staff.  

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United Methodist News Service
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