International theological dialogues

Cosponsored by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, 1968-2003

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches is an ecumenically oriented confessional body. Bilateral and multilateral dialogues are a clear expression of Warc's commitment to Christian reconciliation and communion.

Bilateral dialogues are official talks between two churches or families of churches aiming at overcoming inherited divergences often related to doctrine and church order that separate them. Through international bilateral dialogues and multilateral conversations Warc helps to foster deeper understanding and larger cooperation among different church families and to make available to the whole church the specific contribution of Reformed faith and life.

Adventist-Reformed dialogue

Seventh-day Adventists and Reformed met in Geneva in 1998 and 1999 to explore the possibility of starting a bilateral dialogue. This dialogue had as its theme "The church in the setting of the Reformation heritage: its mission in a world of widespread injustice and ecological destruction". It took place in Jongny-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, April 1-7 2001. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr Bert Beach (USA, general secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist Council on Interchurch Relations) and Prof Cynthia Rigby (USA, Reformed, associate professor of theology, Austin Theological Seminary).

The Adventist representatives presented the following papers:

• "Seventh-day Adventists: a profile", by Dr William G Johnsson, Australia/USA, editor of the Adventist Review;
• "The Apocalypse: God's answer to the human cry for ultimate justice", by Dr Roy Adams, Grenada/USA, associate editor of the Adventist Review;
• "Keepers of the garden: Christians and the environment - an Adventist perspective", by Dr John T Baldwin, USA, professor at the Seventh-day Theological Seminary at Andrews University;
• "Seventh-day Adventists and religious freedom - an aspect of justice", by Dr John Graz, Switzerland/USA, director of the Department of Public Affairs and Religious Freedom of the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference; and
• "Protestant theological heritage in Seventh-day Adventism", by Dr Hans K LaRondelle, The Netherlands/USA.

The Reformed representatives presented the following papers:

• "The challenges of the post-cold war for Protestant Christianity in Latin America", by Dr Arturo Piedra, Costa Rica, professor of church history at the Latin American Biblical University;
• "Church concerns from the Southern Africa perspective: a presentation to the Adventist-Reformed dialogue", by Rev Rupert Hambira, Botswana, synod secretary of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa;
• "Women's concerns from a Dalit perspective", by Dr Nalini Arles, dean of master's studies of the United Theological College, Bangalore;
• "The doctrine of forgiveness and its implications for justice: A Reformed, feminist, North American perspective", by the Reformed co-chair, Dr Cynthia Rigby, USA, associate professor of theology, Austin Theological Seminary; and
• "Reformed ecclesiology and missiology" by Dr Alan Sell, England, former Warc theological secretary, and professor of Christian doctrine and philosophy of religion at the United Theological College, University of Wales.

In the final report, both sides agree that "the Reformed and the Adventists have frequently misunderstood one another and viewed each other with suspicion". They go on to offer mutual clarifications. They address the challenges to Christian mission today, particularly in connection with economic injustice (including HIV/AIDS and violence against women and children), ecological destruction, and several forms of prejudice. The final report is being submitted to all Warc member churches for their study and action.

African Instituted Churches-Reformed dialogue

Representatives of the Nairobi-based Organization of African Instituted Churches - an institution created in 1978 to express the needs and concerns of nationalist, prophet-healing and/or Pentecostal churches founded by Africans - and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches met for the first time in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1998. Their aim was to learn more about each other and to identify matters of common concern that could serve as points for future dialogues. These were: unity, in response to ethnic, denominational and political divisions; gospel and culture; the empowerment of women. They agreed on holding a series of three dialogues under the general theme "Christianity in the African context". The first of these three sessions was held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 1999. In the Kigali Statement participants identified historical, cultural and ecclesial challenges faced by Christian churches in Africa and agreed on concrete actions. The second of the three sessions foreseen for this dialogue was held in Lagos, Nigeria, March 4-7 2001. It dealt with the theme "Reconciling identities: learning from and challenging each other (The prophetic role of the church, the free movement of the Holy Spirit)". The two sides presented papers on the following topics: "Africa in crisis: what is the practical prophetic role of the Church?"; "The experience of the Holy Spirit in worship" and "Our churches and their role and strategies for education". Both organisations agreed to submit the 1999 Kigali Statement to their respective constituencies and to urge them to respond to this document and encourage dialogue at the local level. The last session of the present round of theological conversations took place in Nairobi, February 2002. The final report of the OAIC-Reformed dialogue was published in January 2003 and submitted to all Warc member churches for study and action.

Anglican-Reformed dialogue

After a preliminary meeting held in 1978, Warc and the Anglican Consultative Council representatives met four times between 1981 and 1984. It was hoped that "an official dialogue with the Anglican communion would be of help to those Reformed and Anglican churches that belong to a union of churches or are taking part in negotiations for union" (L Vischer). Anglicans and Reformed discussed ecclesiology, sacraments, ministry and the form of unity. The final report was published as God's Reign and Our Unity.¹

Baptist-Reformed dialogue

Delegations appointed by the Baptist World Alliance and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches met four times between 1973 and 1977. The main topics of discussion were: Distinctive elements of Baptist and Reformed heritages; God's purpose for the world; scripture, church, baptism, mission, ministry; local and universal church. A final report was published.²

Both commissions met again in 1982 to review the final report in the light of comments of member churches of the two Alliances.³

Disciples of Christ-Reformed dialogue

Members of Warc and the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council met in 1984 and held a major international consultation in 1987. The main themes of both consultations were: our common faith; the church; baptism; Lord's supper; ministry; mutual recognition as churches; cooperation. The final report of the 1987 meeting was published as Towards Closer Fellowship.

A Warc/Disciples of Christ Ecumenical Council consultation held in Indianapolis in July 1994 recommended closer monitoring of Disciples of Christ-Reformed relations.⁴

Lutheran-Reformed dialogue

In view of the developments in conversations between Lutherans and Reformed in Europe and in North America, the Lutheran World Federation and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches called an ad hoc joint study committee in January 1968. The committee "paid particular attention to relations between the Warc and the LWF", underlined "the necessity of clarifying divergent understandings of church unity" and indicated that "closer Lutheran-Reformed relationships and cooperation at all levels should not lead to formation of a 'closed Reformation bloc' within the world church..." The first series of conversations took place between 1970 and 1979. It dealt with a wide range of common theological concerns and explored different possibilities of "closer working relationship" between the LWF and Warc. A progress report published in 1975 dealt with the implications of the Leuenberg Agreement, discussed again the 1971 proposal of a universal council, evaluated Lutheran-Reformed area reports and made recommendations to both families.⁵

The second series of conversations was held by the Lutheran-Reformed Joint Commission in Geneva 1985, Chicago 1986, Driebergen 1987 and Budapest 1988. It intended "to build on regional agreements already reached" and "to respond to needs of member churches, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America". The main topics were the common faith, the Lutheran-Reformed way to unity, unity in diversity. The final report, together with two other Lutheran-Reformed regional documents (the Leuenberg Agreement and "An Invitation to Action") were published as Toward Church Fellowship.⁶

Just before the beginning of the third series of conversations, the John Knox International Reformed Centre organized a symposium on possible next steps in Lutheran-Reformed relations.⁷ The third series of conversations started in 1999. A joint Lutheran-Reformed working group with a three-year mandate was established "to follow up the positive results" of the 1989 report and "promote the process of reception of these results in Lutheran and Reformed member churches, furthering the growing communion between them". The joint working group met for the first time in Geneva in November 1999. Participants presented reports and assessments concerning Lutheran-Reformed relations. The second session was held in November 2000 in Campinas, Brazil. The two commissions discussed Lutheran-Reformed cooperation in Brazil (with representatives of the LWF and Warc member churches) and in the USA, analysed the responses to a question on the same topic sent to all member churches, and started plans for the final report of this round. The papers presented by the two theological advisors, André Birmelé (Lutheran) and Lukas Vischer (Reformed), focused on the question of making visible the fellowship already existing among the churches of the Reformation. The third session took place in Geneva, October 14-17 2001 to finalise and adopt the final report of the present round, published in September 2002.⁸

Mennonite-Reformed dialogue

Warc and Mennonite World Conference representatives met in 1984. Papers presented provided general introductions to both families and addressed the issue of the condemnation of the Anabaptists in Reformed confessional documents. Participants issued an appeal for dialogue beginning at the local level.⁹ A second round of conversations took place in Waterloo, Canada, October 11-14 1989 and published a report.¹⁰

Methodist-Reformed dialogue

After a preliminary meeting held in Saint Albans, England, in 1985, "to formulate both shared convictions and differences and to survey the state of reciprocal relations" (L Vischer), representatives of Warc and the World Methodist Council met in Cambridge in 1987. The main topics of those conversations were the gospel to be confessed together and the compatibility of Methodist and Reformed expressions of it. The final report of the dialogue was published as Together in God's Grace.¹¹

Oriental Orthodox-Reformed dialogue

The first meeting of representatives of the five Oriental Orthodox Churches - Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Malankara Orthodox Syrian (India) and Syrian - and of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches took place in Geneva in August 1992. Ever since both delegations have met in Wadi-El-Natroun, Egypt (1993), Driebergen, the Netherlands (1994), Kottayam, India (1997) and Richmond, USA (1998). Christology, scripture and tradition as well as the nature and mission of the church were the main topics of discussion.¹² The sixth session of this dialogue, held in Musselburgh, Scotland, in January 2000, dealt with distinct understandings of sacrament or sacraments. The last session of the present round of theological conversations between the Oriental family of Orthodox churches and the World Alliance took place in Beirut, January 23-28 2001. The report of this round was adopted by both commissions in that meeting. It includes the agreed statement on christology signed in 1994 as well as convergences and divergences on theological issues such as tradition and holy scripture, the nature of the church and its mission, ministry (including the service of women in the church) and sacraments. Following a decision taken by the Warc executive committee in August 2001, the final report of the Oriental Orthodox-Reformed dialogue was submitted to all Warc member churches for their study and action in October 2001.

Orthodox-Reformed dialogue

Bilateral conversations between the representatives of Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches began in Leuenberg, Switzerland, in 1988. They were prepared by a series of conversations (Istanbul, 1979, Geneva, 1981 and 1983) whose main topics were the immutability and communicability of God, the authority of the church and the trinitarian foundation and character of faith and of authority. Papers presented in those three preparatory meetings, together with an "agreed understanding of the theological development and eventual direction of the Orthodox/Reformed conversations leading to dialogue" were published in 1985.¹³

The first three sessions of the Orthodox-Reformed dialogue (Leuenberg, 1988; Minsk, 1990 and Kappel, 1992) dealt with the doctrine of the Trinity as based on the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and with particular attention given to the teaching of Athanasius, Basil and Gregory Nazianzen. The main papers presented as well as the agreed statement on the holy Trinity which registers "a doctrinal consensus between the east and the west never reached before" were published in 1993.¹⁴ The following session (Limassol, Cyprus, 1994) produced an agreed statement on christology.¹⁵ Sessions held in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1996, and in Zakynthos, Greece, in 1998, dealt with the mystery, nature, unity and membership of the church.¹⁶ In the Pittsburgh session (April 2000) papers dealt with baptism, confirmation and chrismation, and the apostolicity of the church along the lines of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.

The subcommittee of the Orthodox-Reformed international theological dialogue met at the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Istanbul, Turkey, February 16-18 2001, to prepare the joint commission session to be held in September 2002 in Romania. It was agreed that the theme of the 2002 session would be the holiness of the church". The 2002 session was postponed to August 2003.

Pentecostal-Reformed dialogue

After a meeting held in Mattersey, England, in 1995, to explore the interest in and the feasibility of developing an ongoing dialogue at the international level, representatives of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and members of different Pentecostal Churches met successively in Torre Pelice, Italy (1996), Chicago, USA (1997), Kappel-am-Albis, Switzerland (1998) and in Seoul, Korea (1999). The Torre Pelice session dealt with spirituality and the challenges of today. Participants identified two important area of common ground: the central role played by the Bible in both Christian families and the importance of the Holy Spirit in proclamation and praxis. The topic of the following session was the role and place of the Holy Spirit in the church. There was much debate on the key issue of charismata. The Kappel session reflected on the Holy Spirit and mission in eschatological perspective, and the Seoul session dealt with the Holy Spirit, charisma and the kingdom of God.¹⁷ The fifth and final session of this dialogue was held in São Paulo, Brazil, in May 2000. It undertook an overall evaluation of the work accomplished and produced a final report, Word and Spirit, Church and World based upon the first five years of discussion.¹⁸ The final report of the Pentecostal-Reformed dialogue was submitted to all Warc member churches for study and action in October 2001.

Prague consultations on the First, Radical and Second Reformations

The "Prague consultations" are a series of conversations conceived in 1984. They have two purposes: to cultivate the heritage of the First Reformation (12th-15th centuries) and the Radical Reformation started in the 16th century and, secondly, to draw the consequences of that heritage for the commitment to historical changes inspired by common hope.

The first three consultations were held in the Comenius Faculty of Protestant Theology in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1986 (Prague I, on the heritage of the First and Radical Reformations), 1987 (Prague II, on eschatology and social transformation) and 1989 (Prague III, on Christian faith and economics). They constituted a unique multilateral forum, gathering, during these first three sessions, only representatives from such different churches or movements as Brethren, Quakers, Mennonites, Waldensians, Hutterian Brethren, Moravians, Hussites and Czech Brethren.

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches in cooperation with the Lutheran World Federation and the Mennonite World Conference organized the subsequent sessions, attended also by Methodists, Baptists, Reformed, Lutherans and a representative of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The 1994 session (Prague IV, on the Sermon on the Mount and its reception in different traditions) and the 1998 session (Prague V, on justification and sanctification in the traditions of the Reformation) were held in Geneva. Prague VI met in Strasbourg, France, in February 2000 under the theme of new life in Christ".¹⁹

Prague VII will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, November 28 to December 2, 2003.

Roman Catholic-Reformed dialogue

The dialogue between the pontifical council for promoting Christian unity and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches is the first world-level Roman Catholic-Reformed dialogue since the Reformation. It is already in its third phase.

The first phase (1970-1977) dealt with the question of the role and place of the church within the relationship between God and the world and published a final report, The Presence of Christ in Church and World. The second round (1984-1990) focused on the doctrine of the church from a trinitarian perspective, with the theme of "church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit", and published a final report, Towards a Common Understanding of the Church.²⁰ The members of the Reformation-Catholic dialogue commission in the Netherlands produced a series of essays on Towards a Common Understanding of the Church, published under the title From Roots to Fruits.²¹

The third phase of the Catholic-Reformed dialogue started in 1998. Its general theme is the church as community of common witness to the kingdom of God. The first meeting of this third phase, held in Venice, Italy, May 1998, reviewed the results of the second round of the dialogue. The second session took place from September 1999 in the Netherlands with the theme of the kingdom of God as context for the church's common witness. The third session, held in Rome, Italy, September 2000 had as its theme the church as sign of the kingdom in history. The fourth session took place in Cape Town, South Africa, August 2001. It dealt with case studies linking the theme of the present round - church as community of common witness to the kingdom of God - to the South African context and examined the theme of the kingdom in recent ecumenical dialogues. The fourth session was held in Newry, Northern Ireland, September 2002. It once again dealt with case studies relating the general theme of the present round to the local situation and advanced plans for the writing of the final report. The final session took place in Toronto, Canada, August 2003.

Roman Catholic-Lutheran-Reformed dialogue

After preparatory meetings held by Lutherans and Reformed in 1969 and 1970 in Geneva and by Lutherans, Reformed and Catholics in Rome, in 1970, this trilateral dialogue on the subject of interconfessional marriages met successively in Strasbourg (1971), Madrid (1972), Basel (1973), Strasbourg (1974) and Venice (1976) and produced a final report.²²

Notes