Nearly two dozen participants gathered to trace “the steps of a journey on which we’ve made momentous advances in the unity of the church—making that unity more visible in our life together,” as host Anna Case-Winters said.
The recent dialogue processes between the WCRC and both the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church, through its Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, were detailed by dialogue team members.
The webinar was also a launching point for the next phase of dialogues, as well as a deepening of the ongoing ecumenical partnerships already established.
“This idea of where to go from here has to do with the fact that we no longer approach dialogues as if there is a storehouse of Reformed ideas,” said Chris Ferguson, WCRC general secretary. “Instead, we are actually sharing a living tradition. What does it mean to be in dialogue with a Reformed church always reforming?”
“Our long-range hope is for full communion” with all Christians, said Case-Winters. “In one sense, unity is already ours in Christ. It is the gift of God; we do not create it and cannot destroy it. Our divisions, nevertheless, obscure our unity and hamper our witness.”