Since 2006, representatives from the Baptist World Alliance have held annual meetings with counterparts from the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Each year has had a central focus and the dialogues have concerned, successively, Scripture, tradition and the role of the Virgin Mary. A document will be produced out of the final meeting in 2010 to share with the respective denominational groups.
The 2009 meeting, held in Rome this past December 13-18, took up the question of “Oversight and Primacy in the Ministry of the Church.” Some may well wonder what Baptists and Catholics have to say to each other, especially about “primacy” (referring to the primacy of Peter or the pope). Adherents of both traditions have entertained stereotypes about the other. I recall thinking as a child that Catholics were not quite Christian because they worshiped Mary and believed in works-righteousness (both of which are not actually Catholic teaching). And I have been with Catholics who regarded Baptists as followers of a different faith.
“Mindful as we are of the real division between Baptist and Catholic Christians, we must be more mindful still of the prayer of Jesus that all his disciples be one. And we must remember that such unity is essential to God’s salvific intentions for the world. “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21). It is the privilege of all Christians, as God’s adopted sons and daughters (Rom. 8:15-17), to share in the communion that the Son has with the Father, a gift given by the Spirit for the sake of the church and the world. Such triune communion is not uniformity but rather enhances the gifts that members give and receive from one another. ”
Well … this is the most succinct and concise statement I have read in a long time on the NEED for Christian Unity!
May God help us all!!!
P.S. I wish my conservative American Lutheran denomination would tear down the institutional barriers that is stopping it (and its clergy) from entering in more fruitful ecumenical dialogues.
By: Gabriel Emanuel Borlean on 9 January 2010
at 9:33 pm
It is not better with Evangelicals here. Not that Catholics, in their majority, are much more ecumenical towards them.
By: DanutM on 10 January 2010
at 12:48 pm
My thoughts is that while this is a very diametrically different Christian groups (and traditions) … no matter how close them come to agreeing on anything …
the rank and file Baptists … will still expouse the half-truths/half-lies about what Catholics believe and use the same prejudism/judgemental narrow thinking of their forefathers. The rank-and-file members will not get to know Catholics(ism) and have respect for them.
AND
the Roman-Catholic Church (RCC) will never implement anything concrete that moves the RCC closer to communion with the Baptists brothers and sisters. The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) is a GREAT office in the Vatican, but the Curia and College of Cardinals will always trump anything anyone else does. If the PCPCU gets too “progressive” the Vatican powers-to-be will publish another pontifical statement to explain the DIFFERENCES that Catholics have with other Christians.
Case in point: Look at the Common Statement on Justification in the late 90s between Lutherans and Catholics. A truly botched up job!
By: Gabriel Emanuel Borlean on 9 January 2010
at 9:39 pm