Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue Explores Existing Studies

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A second meeting in the tenth round of talks between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) spread out much of the available literature on the topic "The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures and Ministries." Lutheran and Roman Catholic representatives met here April 15-18.
"Koinonia" is an anglicized Greek word that appears several times in the Christian Bible and is translated as "fellowship, a close mutual relationship; participation, sharing in; partnership; contribution, gift." The dialogue examines issues of koinonia as they relate to "ordained ministry and structures of church unity."
"A purpose of this meeting was to become reacquainted with some of the materials that have already been developed and to see where they will lead us," said the Lutheran co-chair of the dialogue, the Rev. Charles H. Maahs, bishop of the ELCA Central States Synod, Shawnee Mission, Kansas.
"The group is sensitive to the fact that studies have taken place," said Maahs. "We use that as a foundation. Then, as we become more specific in our focus, we will strike off in perhaps new directions."
Another purpose of the meeting was to become better acquainted with one another, said Maahs. "It's a strong team on both sides. We have found good ways to work with one another."
The Roman Catholic co-chair, the Most Rev. Richard J. Sklba, auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, described the second meeting as "a very meticulous review of the concept and the pastoral and theological concerns of koinonia in each of our respective traditions, and particularly in the last few decades of documentation.
"Now we are poised to begin more focused work on specific topics that will contribute to our mutual understanding of each other's history," Sklba said.
"It is imperative that we have some papers which will review literature from the New Testament on ministry, so that the dialogue group can root its discussions in the Word of God as received in the Church," said Sklba.
Several dialogue participants will report to the next meeting on specific topics that relate to "ministry" in church documents, Sklba said. Topics range from the 16th century's Council of Trent to episcopal-presbyterial ministry as "a sign and a vehicle of continuity in preaching the word of god authentically in each tradition," he said.
Participants will meet twice each year. The next meeting will be Dec. 2-5 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The Rev. Charles P. Arand, chairman of the department of systematic theology and assistant dean of the faculty, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, joined the dialogue at its second meeting. The Rev. Alvin L. Barry, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, appointed Arand to serve as an observer -- contributing to the dialogue but not its outcome.
"We are happy to have him as an observer," Maahs said of Arand. "The report that will come out of this dialogue will be representative of the ELCA and Roman Catholic participants of the dialogue," Maahs added.
The NCCB and the U.S.A. National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation initiated the first round of the "bilateral" that began in 1965. The dialogue has produced a number of common statements on such topics as Scriptures, saints and justification by faith.

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