Pittsburgh theological seminary, Pittsburgh, USA
April 3-7 2000
Communiqué
The mixed commission of the dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (Warc) gathered for its seventh meeting at Pittsburgh theological seminary from April 3 to 7 2000.
Orthodox delegates to the dialogue represented the following churches: the ecumenical patriarchate, the patriarchate of Alexandria, the patriarchate of Antioch, the patriarchate of Moscow, the patriarchate of Serbia, the patriarchate of Romania, and the Church of Poland.
Warc delegates represented member churches from the following countries: Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, the United States of America, and Venezuela.
His eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloë and Serention, representing the ecumenical patriarchate, Rev. Prof. Kim Yong-Bock, moderator of the Warc department of theology, and Rev. Dr Karel Blei, Netherlands Reformed Church, moderated the meeting.
The commission received official greetings from his all-holiness Bartholomew, the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople. The commission was received by his eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Ainos and presiding hierarch of Pittsburgh, and in the home of Rev. Dr C. Samuel Calian, president of Pittsburgh theological seminary. Delegates also met faculty and administrators from Pittsburgh theological seminary and visited the Antiochian village in Ligonier, where they were hosted by Bishop Demetrios, representing his eminence Metropolitan Philip of the Antiochian Orthodox Church.
The delegates on alternate days visited services in the Seminary Chapel led by the Orthodox and the Reformed.
Papers were delivered by Orthodox and Reformed delegates on the theme of "membership and incorporation into the body of Christ" in three subdivisions: baptism, chrismation/confirmation, and the apostolicity of the church. After thorough discussion, the delegates together prepared a preliminary common statement on the theme, which they plan to finalize at their next meeting.
