23 Oct 2019
The Commission with Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop van Megen
The Joint International Commission for
Theological Dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Roman
Catholic Church met in Mariapolis Piero outside Nairobi, Kenya, from
Thursday 10 to Friday 17 October 2019, hosted by the Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity.
In this third plenary meeting of the present round of dialogue the
Commission continued its theological dialogue on the subject of
reconciliation as this relates in particular to the unity of the Church.
Following our 2018 plenary members had been asked to work in subgroups
to draft chapters of a prospective document. These drafts were presented
and discussed in Mariapolis, and the form of the document evolved to
one of four chapters treating respectively: soteriology understood as
reconciliation; the Church and its structures with a view to how our
respective structures might be reconciled; practices of reconciliation
in the two traditions; and the Church’s mission to take God’s
reconciliation to the world. The Commission agreed to also present a
liturgy of reconciliation with its document to encourage Methodist and
Catholic communities to engage in a healing of memories through joint
worship. The final report will be presented to the World Methodist
Council meeting in Gothenburg in 2021.
Each day the Commission commenced its work by sharing together in
devotions led alternately by Methodist and Catholic members. On Sunday,
after a Catholic Eucharist celebrated in Mariapolis, participants
attended worship at the Juja Methodist Church led by the Reverend David
Kanyili. The official Methodist Eucharist was held on Saturday evening,
celebrated by the Reverend David Chapman, Methodist co-chair of the
Commission, with Bishop Dr Chikwendu Igwe preaching. The official
Catholic Mass was held on Wednesday evening. The Right Reverend John
Sherrington presided and offered the Mass for Monsignor Denis Edwards, a
member of the Commission who died suddenly in March.
On Tuesday 15 October the members visited the Hekima Institute of
Peace Studies and International Relations, where they were greeted by
the Reverend Dr Kifle Wansamo, the Acting Dean of the Institute, who
gave an introductory talk about its work. In a time of discussion
involving both staff and students of the Institute and the Reverend
Joseph Obwanda, chaplain to Kenya Methodist Univeristy, members of the
Commission spoke about MERCIC’s work on reconciliation. The Commission
was then hosted by H.E. Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, Apostolic Nuncio
to Kenya and South Sudan, who spoke about the ongoing peace process in
South Sudan.
The Commission wishes to record its gratitude to members of the
Focolare Community of Mariapolis Piero for the generosity of their
hospitality and the warmth of their welcome, and particularly Mary
Kristine Amata for her help in the planning of the meeting.
The Commission will next meet at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute
Jerusalem from 9 to 16 October 2020, hosted by the Methodist World
Council.
Members
| Methodist: |
|
| Rev. Dr David M. Chapman (Co–Chair) |
Great Britain |
| Rev. Dr Karen Westerfield Tucker (Co−Secretary) |
USA |
| Rev. Dr Edgardo Colon-Emeric |
USA |
| Rev. Dr Trevor Hoggard |
Wales |
| Bishop Chikwendu Igwe |
Nigeria |
| Rev. Dr Priscilla Pope-Levison |
USA |
| Rev. Dr Hermen Shastri |
Malaysia |
| Dr Lilian Siwila |
South Africa |
| Roman Catholic: |
|
| Bishop John Sherrington (Co–Chair) |
England |
| Fr Anthony Currer (Co–Secretary) |
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity |
| Prof. Catherine Clifford |
Canada |
| Bishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu |
Ghana |
| Fr Jorge Scampini, OP |
Argentina |
| Dr Clare Watkins |
England |