wfn.org | The Holy Spirit brings unity, Kinnamon tells grads

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>The Holy Spirit is bringing us together,
>Kinnamon tells Aquinas graduates

May 21, 2008, St. Louis, Mo. - In the very recent past, Catholics and
Protestants "hardly spoke to one another, at least about religious
matters," the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA
told 56 graduates of Aquinas Institute of Theology here earlier this
month.

"Surely, it is a sign of the Holy Spirit that things have changed to
dramatically in such a brief span," The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon said.

Kinnamon, until recently a professor at neighboring Eden Theological
Seminary in St. Louis, was awarded the honorary doctor of humane letters
degree by Aquinas President, the Rev. Dr. Richard Peddicord, O.P.

A sign of the changing times was a recent prayer service for ecumenical
leaders hosted by Pope Benedict XVI in New York, Kinnamon told the
graduates.

"Thanks to the wisdom of the planners or the Holy Spirit, I found myself
seated next to Pat Robertson -- who, to let you in on a secret, is not
my favorite theologian," he said.

"But do I get to deny that he is my brother in Christ, any more than
Pope Benedict can deny that I am his? I might wish that God would be
more discriminating, but there it is -- bound to one another by a love
far greater than our disagreements."

Kinnamon, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ), quoted a favored saying in his denomination: "We are Christians
only, but not the only Christians."

He added: "Perhaps today we can say: we are God's children only, but we
are not God's only children."

Aquinas Institute of Theology, a Dominican sponsored school, prepares
candidates for the priesthood alongside vowed religious, laypeople
pursuing careers in ministry and those who simply seek a richer faith
life. While most students are Catholic, the school welcomes all men and
women of good will. Students represent communities that stretch from
coast to coast; others come from as far away as Africa and South
America.

Commencement ceremonies took place May 9 in St. Louis University's
College Church.

The NCC is the ecumenical voice of America's Orthodox, Protestant,
Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches.
These 35 communions have 45 million faithful members in 100,000
congregations in all 50 states. For up-to-date information on the
National Council of Churches, see www.ncccusa.org

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCnews@ncccusa.org