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Interernational theological dialogues cosponsored by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches is a confessional body ecumenically oriented. 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.
[Roman Catholic-Reformed]
[Lutheran-Reformed]
[Roman Catholic-Lutheran-Reformed]
[Baptist-Reformed]
[Anglican-Reformed]
[Mennonite-Reformed]
[Disciples of Christ-Reformed]
[Prague Consultations on First, Radical and Second Reformations]
[Methodist-Reformed]
[Orthodox-Reformed]
[Oriental Orthodox-Reformed]
[Pentecostal-Reformed]
[African Instituted -Reformed]
[Adventist-Reformed]
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 one (1970-1977) dealt with the question of the role and place of the Church within the relationship between God and the world. Its final report, [The Presence of the Christ in Church and World], was published in Reformed World 36(5), 1981; see also H. Meyer and L. Vischer (eds.), Growth in Agreement, New York-Geneva, Paulist-WCC, 1984, pp. 434-463 - WCC ISBN 2-8254-0679-1). The second round (1984-1990) focused on the doctrine of the Church on trinitarian basis. Its general theme was "Church: People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit". The final report, [Towards a Common Understanding of the Church], was published under number 21 in the series "Studies from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches" (only the Spanish translation is available). It was also published in J. Gros et al. (eds). Growth in Agreement II - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, 1982-1998, Geneva-Grand Rapids, WCC-Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 780-818 - WCC ISBN 2-8254-1329-1. The third phase started in 1998. Its second meeting took place from September 15-21, 1999 in the Netherlands under the theme "The Kingdom of God as context for the Church’s Common Witness". The third meeting took place from September 13-19, 2000 in Italy under the theme of "Church as Community of Common Witness to the Kingdom of God. " The fourth session will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, late in August 2001.
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The first series of conversations between representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches was held between 1970 and 1975 in Geneva, Basel and Strasbourg. A report published in 1975 (["Lutheran Reformed Joint Committee"], Reformed World, XXXIII(7), September 1975, pp. 314-320) 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. 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 in [Toward Church Fellowship], Geneva, LWF-WARC, 1989, 72 p., ISBN 2-88190-009-7. Soon before the beginning of the third series of conversations, the International Reformed Center John Knox organized a symposium on possible next steps in Lutheran-Reformed relations (see L. Vischer, ed., Rowing in One Boat - A Common Reflection on Lutheran-Reformed Relations Worldwide, Geneva, CIRJK, 1999, 87 p.). 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. For the press-release, click on [news and information].
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Roman Catholic-Lutheran-Reformed
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). For the [Final Report of the Roman Catholic-Lutheran-Reformed Study Commission on "The Theology of Marriage and the Problem of Mixed Marriages"], issued in 1976, see also H. Meyer and L. Vischer (eds.), Growing in Agreement - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, New York-Geneva, Paulist-WCC, 1984, pp. 277-306 - WCC ISBN 2-8254-0679-1.
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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 (see also Baptists and Reformed in Dialogue, Geneva, WARC, 1983, 56 p.; Report of Theological Conversations, Geneva-Washington, WARC-BWA, 21 p.; see also H. Meyer and L. Vischer (eds.), Growth in Agreement - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, New York/Geneva, Paulist/WCC, 1984, pp. 131-151 - WCC ISBN 2-8254-0679-1). Both commissions met again in 1982 to review the final report in the light of comments of member churches of the two Alliances. The "Report of the Evaluation Group" was also published in Baptists and Reformed in Dialogue, pp. 29-39.
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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. For the final report see [God’s Reign and Our Unity] - The report of the Anglican-Reformed International Commission, London/Edinburgh, SPCK/Saint Andrews, 1984, 90 p., Saint Andrews ISBN 0-7152-0578-1. See also J. Gros et al., Growth in Agreement II - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, 1982-1998, Geneva-Grand Rapids, WCC-Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 114-154, WCC ISBN 2-8254-1329-1.
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WARC and the 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 (see Mennonites and Reformed in Dialogue, Geneva, WARC, 1986, 89 p.).
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Members of WARC and the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council met in 1984 and held a major international consultation in 1987 (see: A. Sell, ed., Reformed and Disciples of Christ in Dialogue, Geneva, WARC, 1985, 63 p., out of print; [Towards Closer Fellowship] - Report of the Dialogue Between Reformed and Disciples of Christ, Geneva, WARC, 1988, 16 p., ISBN 92-9075-007-3; Reformed World, XXXIX(8), December 1987, pp. 829-841; see also Mid-Stream, April 1988). The main themes of both consultations were: our common faith; the Church; Baptism; Lord’s Supper; Ministry; Mutual recognition as churches; Cooperation. A WARC/Disciples of Christ Ecumenical Council Consultation, held in Indianapolis in July 1994, recommended closer monitoring of Disciples of Christ-Reformed relations. The final report of the 1987 meeting, preceded by a Historical Introduction prepared by Lukas Vischer, was also published in J. Gros et al (eds.), Growth in Agreement II - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, 1982-1998, Geneva-Grand Rapids, WCC-Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 176-186, WCC ISBN 2-8254-1329-1.
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Prague Consultations on First, Radical and Second Reformations
The so-called Prague Consultations are a series of conversations conceived in 1984. They were initially held on the premises of the Comenius Faculty of Protestant Theology in Prague, Czech Republic, 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 Prague Consultations have two purposes: to cultivate the heritage of the First Reformation (12th through 15th century) and of 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 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) as well as the 1998 one (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 "New Life in Christ". A selection of papers presented at Prague I and Prague II was published by Brethren Life and Thought, XXXV(1), Winter 1990 - ISSN 0006-9663. The following articles on the First Reformation were published in WARC’s Reformed World (September 1993): "The Waldensians and the Theology of History" (Giorgio Tourn); "Some Aspects of the Hussite Movement" (Milan Opocenský); "The Unitas Fratrum and the 16th-Century Reformation" (J.L. Hromádka) and "A Europe of ‘Two or Three’ Reformations" (P. Winzeler). Contributions to [Prague IV] as well as final statements of [Prague I to III] were published in Opocenský, M., ed., Towards a Renewed Dialogue, Geneva, WARC, 1996, 199 p., ISBN 92-9075-023-5. Papers presented at [Prague V] were published in Opocenský, M. and Réamonn, P., ed., Justification and Sanctification in the Traditions of the Reformation, Geneva, WARC, 1999, 280 p., ISBN 92-9075-064-2.
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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 of 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. For the Saint Albans session please see "Report of Methodist/Reformed Consultation", Reformed World, 38(8), December 1985, pp. 444-447, 452. This report includes the attempt of a joint statement of faith. The final report of the Methodist-Reformed dialogue, "Together in God’s Grace", was published in Reformed World, 39(8), December 1987, pp. 821-829. See also Reformed and Methodists in Dialogue, Geneva, WARC, 1988, 16 p., ISBN 92-9075-006-5 and Jeffrey Gros et al. (eds), Growth in Agreement II - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, 1982-1998, Geneva-Grand Rapids, WCC-Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 270-274, WCC ISBN 2-8254-1329-1.
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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 (see T.F. Torrance, ed., Theological Dialogue between Orthodox and Reformed Churches, Edinburgh, Scottish Academic Press, 1985, ISBN 0-7073-0436-9). 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 (see also T.F. Torrance, ed., Theological Dialogue between Orthodox and Reformed Churches, Edinburgh, Scottish Academic Press, 1993, vol. 2, ISBN 0-7073-0725-2). In the following session (Limassol, Cyprus, 1994) an [Agreed Statement on Christology] was reached (see also Lukas Vischer, ed., Agreed Statements from the Orthodox-Reformed Dialogue, Geneva, WARC, 1998, Studies from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, n. 38 - ISBN 92-9075-050-2). Sessions held in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1996, and in Zakynthos, Greece, in 1998, dealt with the Mystery, Nature, Unity and Membership of the Church. All papers from Kappel 1992 through Zakynthos 1998 were published by Fr. Dr. George Dion Dragas in The Greek Orthodox Theological Review, vol. 43(1-4), 1998. The "Memorandum" of the 1988 session as well as the agreed statements on the Holy Trinity and Christology were also published in Jeffrey Gros et al. (eds), Growth in Agreement II - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, 1982-1998, Geneva-Grand Rapids, WCC-Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 275-294. 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.
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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. A detailed description of the first four sessions followed by an [Agreed Statement on Christology] was published in the series "Studies from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches" (see H. Wilson, ed., Oriental Orthodox-Reformed Dialogue - The First Four Sessions, Geneva, WARC, 1998, ISBN 92-9075-051-0). Reformed World (March 1998) published summaries of papers by Christopher B. Kaiser, Henry Wilson and Milan Opocenský as well the full text of a paper by the Orthodox theologian K. M. George. For the Agreed Statement on Christology reached in 1994 see also Jeffrey Gros et al. (eds), Growth in Agreement II - Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, Geneva-Grand Rapids, WCC-Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 291-294 - WCC ISBN 2-8254-1329-1. The 5th session of this dialogue took place in Damascus, Syria in January 199 on the topic of Ministry. The 6th session of this dialogue, held in Musselburgh, Scotland, in January 2000, dealt with distinct understandings of Sacrament or sacraments. Discussions on this same topic as well as a general evaluation of the first round of this dialogue were on the agenda of the session held in the Catholicosate of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Antelias, Lebanon) late in January 2001.
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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 the theme "Spirituality and the Challenges of Today". Participants identified two important areas 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". Much debate was engaged around the key issue of charismata. The Kappel session reflected on the theme "The Holy Spirit and Mission in Eschatological Perspective" whereas the Seoul session dealt with the topic "The Holy Spirit, Charisma and the Kingdom of God" (see Hyun, Y. and Macchia, F., Spirit’s Gifts - God’s Reign, Louisville, Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church USA, 1999. 66 p.). The 5th session of this dialogue, which was also the last one of the present series of conversations, was held in São Paulo, Brazil, in May 2000. It undertook an overall evaluation of the work accomplished and produced a final report based upon the first five years of discussion. For the text of the final report, [Word and Spirit, Church and World], see also Reformed World, 50(3), September 2000, pp. 128-156.
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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 of 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 session was held early in March 2001 in Lagos, Nigeria. Its main theme was "Reconciling identities - learning from and challenging each other". Missiological questions related to common witness will be on the agenda of the final session, due to take place in 2002.
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Seventh-Day Adventists and Reformed met in Geneva in 1998 and 1999 to explore the possibility of starting a bilateral dialogue. It was agreed that a one session conversation will take place early in April 2001 in Vevey, Switzerland. Its theme will be "The Church in the setting of the Reformation heritage: its mission in a world of widespread injustice and ecological destruction". A final report will be published at the end of that meeting.
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