April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
OUR NEIGHBORS' FAITH
Catholic-Reformed dialogue continues
The Reformed bodies include Presbyterian churches - principally the Presbyterian Church (USA) - Reformed churches and the United Church of Christ. The dialogue has focused on women in the church, ethical issues, the role of the laity, interchurch families, the ministry of the church and the relation of Holy Scripture and tradition.
Most recently, the dialogue turned to the Eucharist (the Lord's Supper) and baptism. The degree to which the parties agree, particularly around the sacraments, would surprise many.
As a member of the delegation from the Reformed Church in America, I am part of the latest round. Together with members of the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Christian Reformed Church, we meet together with representatives from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops around the topic of the nature of the church and its ministry.
This topic has been the most resistant to resolution at both the national and international levels of the conversation.
At times, progress can be painfully slow and, frankly, often obscure to large portions of the churches involved. That is the case, in part, because prior to Vatican II, Protestants and Roman Catholics lived in worlds that were strange and often hostile toward each other.
Not long after the tumultuous events of the 16th century that we call the "Reformation," both "sides" became more and more set in their respective positions. In fact, it was common for all parties to define themselves against their "opponents." This led to mutual misunderstanding, suspicion and accusation. A thaw only really began with John XXIII and the calling of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
But progress is also slow because the dialogues are not only institutional, but personal in nature. In fact, the personal is representative of what needs to take place throughout the church.
Even though previous dialogues have made progress, with each round participants must learn, often afresh, to know and to understand the other, thereby coming to trust one another as sisters and brothers in Christ. Then, listening closely to one another, we look for the places where our understandings converge and those places where they diverge - the places that require further, often difficult and complex, conversations.
The current dialogue centers in large part on the ministry of the church, specifically on the role of oversight. Is the office of bishop necessary for the church? Reformed churches famously do not have bishops. Can we begin to understand how the ministry of oversight is to take place in God's church? Previous ecumenical agreements identify oversight in three types: personal, collegial and communal.
The Roman Catholic Church manifests personal oversight in bishops. Roman Catholic Church documents also call for collegial oversight around the bishops. Reformed churches major in collegial oversight - through synods - but have no place for personal oversight. Can the two groups find a common understanding?
In my opinion, one of the most promising and difficult avenues is what has been called "reconciliation of memories." The partners in the dialogue tell the history of our mutual relations differently. What is needed is acknowledgement of the pain each group has caused.
St. John Paul II, in a prayer for Jubilee 2000, called for the purification of memory and prayers of repentance on behalf of Catholics which "adds significantly to the discussion of the question of sin in the church." This is an important initiative. Protestants as well may acknowledge that, while the Reformation may have been necessary, it caused great harm to the church of Jesus Christ.
It appears to me that this is quite possible and offers genuine hope that we begin to be open to the Spirit's healing of the rent in Christ's church.
(Rev. Dr. Janssen is a retired Reformed pastor, an affiliate professor of theological studies at New Brunswick Theological Seminary and general synod professor for the RCA.)[[In-content Ad]]
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