wfn.org | Roman Catholic dialogue covers nature of church

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 21, 2001 News media contact: Linda Bloom7(212) 870-38037New York
10-71B{549}

By United Methodist News Service

The nature of the church, both local and universal, is the basis for
discussion in the latest round of United Methodist /Roman Catholic dialogue.

At the most recent meeting, Nov. 9-12 at St. Paul's College in Washington,
dialogue team members continued a discussion about the dimensions of
communion -- or how members of a faith are bound together -- in the two
traditions; shared a study of a new text from a joint dialogue of the World
Methodist Council and Roman Catholic Church and talked about various
challenges and opportunities in the global and local dimensions of the
churches.

The Rev. Bruce Robbins, chief executive of the United Methodist Commission
on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, noted that the Roman
Catholic Church actually could serve as a structural model as the
denomination attempts "to sort out the global nature of the United Methodist
Church."

For example, Catholics could give some insight, he said, on issues such as
the autonomy of various regions versus the structure of the entire church.

At the November meeting, United Methodist Bishop Walter Klaiber of Germany,
chairman of the United Methodist dialogue team, talked about the development
of the "Carta Ecumenica," a document approved by Catholic, Protestant,
Orthodox and Anglican churches in Europe. Catholic Bishop William Skylstad
of Spokane, who leads the Roman Catholic team, demonstrated how a pastoral
letter on the Columbia River by bishops in the Northwestern United States
had both local and global implications.

The teams examined the seventh text produced by an international commission
sponsored by the World Methodist Council and Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity. Called "Speaking the Truth in Love," the document
explores common affirmations of the two faiths and outlines differences in
structures of authoritative teaching and differences over issues such as
infallibility and lay participation.

Papers aimed at providing a better understanding of the structures of each
church have been assigned for the next meeting of the dialogue teams,
scheduled for May 6-8 in San Pedro, Calif. Another session is set for Sept.
24-26 in Washington.   

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United Methodist News Service
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