[amc] Fwd: [Newslist.mennoworldconf] MWC News Service: Mennonites and Catholics seek common ground to work for peace
- From: "Ray Gingerich" <rjgingerich@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Austin Mennonite Church" <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Milwaukee Mennonite" <milwaukee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:32:11 -0700
Mennonite World Conference
A community of Anabaptist-related churches
www.mwc-cmm.org
News Service
October 19, 2007
Mennonites and Catholics seek common ground to work for peace
Hamburg, Germany - German Catholics and Mennonites assembled here September
21-22 for a conference on the "Healing of memories." The conference was a
joint response of the Association of Mennonite Congregations in Germany
(AMG) and the roman-catholic German Bishops-Conference to the official
report, "Called Together to be Peacemakers," on the 1998 to 2003 dialogue
between representatives of Mennonite World Conference and the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Dialogue itself can be a means of healing, said Stephan Loos from the
Katholische Akademie Hamburg (Catholic Academy in Hamburg). It was "in a
spirit of friendship and reconciliation" that he greeted the participants.
Understanding one another, Loos said, involves changing and growing beyond
one's self and coming to understanding means attaining a new spiritual
freedom. When we come to understand the experiences of faith present in
other confessions, we lay a foundation for becoming peacemakers together, he
noted.
Fernando Enns, Mennonite director of the Institute for Theology of the Peace
Churches at Hamburg University, emphasized that it is the call of the
Gospel, not merely curiosity or subjective interest, that leads us to listen
to one another. "One body, one spirit, one Lord, one faith and one baptism"
can only take place when there is unity in the spirit through the bond of
peace (Eph. 4: 3-5). The healing of memories must take place at the
congregational level; otherwise the whole church suffers, he said.
John Radano from the Pontifical Council agreed, noting that we need to state
differences openly, overcome conflicts and work toward unity "so that the
world may believe" that Christ has been sent from the Father. Where division
exists, the gospel becomes implausible. Reconciliation with God includes
reconciliation with each other and this common spirit makes it possible for
us to work together for peace, an essential component for unity among
Christians.
Andrea Lange, Mennonite member of the international Mennonite-Catholic
dialogue, spoke candidly about her initial reservations: Was the invitation
of the Vatican an attempt to get Mennonites to return to the Roman Catholic
fold? She remains sceptical about the Catholic notion of the Eucharist as a
sacrament, in strong contrast to the Mennonite concept and practice of the
Lord's supper, yet, she sees engaging in a fearless examination of
sacramental theology as desirable.
Lange also spoke of the importance of talking about what we mean by "making
peace," including love of our enemies. As disciples of Jesus, Christians
must reject every form of institutionalized violence. Lange observed that
every dialogue requires us to look at our own point of view and should also
become a testimony to the gospel so that the world may believe.
In a critical examination of church history in the dialogue paper,
Hans-J=FCrgen Goertz spoke about the limits and opportunities available to
the historian. Dialogue partners must be honest in examining their histories
together but church historians cannot take responsibility for theological
discussion. The historian can comment on historical events but it is the
duty of the theologians to release the churches from the prison of history.
The discussion related to section two of the joint report, "Considering
Theology Together," proved to be delicate. Wolfgang Th=F6nissen from the
Institute for Ecumenical Studies in Paderborn focused on the need for a
visible unity of the church. Although Catholics still hold to the practice
of baptizing infants and making them church members, they also wish to claim
that faith and baptism are equally important and that the church is
understood to be the community of "resolute believers." Respect for the
faith of other religious communities has also grown, said Th=F6nissen.
In his reply, Fernando Enns heartily endorsed the step from "considering
theology together" to "doing theology together." There are considerable
hurdles that need to be surmounted. The Catholic Church begins theological
discussion with holy scripture, holy tradition and the doctrinal authority
of the church, whereas Mennonites focus on examining and correcting life and
practice in the light of scripture.
How are we to understand our common call to become peacemakers? Is
reconciliation of our traditions possible when one side actively seeks to
work together with the state while the other remains sceptical of political
authority? The issue of "just war" theology has not been satisfactorily
discussed yet, nor the issue of active non-violence. Mutual recognition of
baptism remains on the agenda and Mennonites need to clarify their position.
On Friday evening, the mid-point of the conference, an ecumenical service
was held in the Mennonite Church in Hamburg-Altona. Dr. Jaschke, who
represented the German Council of Bishops, preached on a passage frequently
cited as a favourite of Menno Simons: "For no one can lay any foundation
other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ" (1
Corinthians 3:11).
"The breath of the spirit breathes upon us tonight," said Jaschke, "because
Christ is our foundation and remains our foundation
The path toward healing can only take place on the path of Christ. Just as
the dispute between Peter and Paul could only be resolved by a common
reflection on the centrality of Christ, so also we should maintain our focus
on Jesus. We are called to repentance, so that we can act in love, mercy and
responsibility toward the world.
Finally, Larry Miller, general secretary of Mennonite World Conference,
greeted all the Mennonites and Catholics in the name of MWC. Miller thanked
the churches in Germany for their efforts to discuss the results of the
international dialogue and offered some perspectives for future encounters,
especially the upcoming meeting in Rome, October 18-23.
A communicative discussion of such intensity could hardly be organised more
compactly. A special thanks is due to Fernando Enns for excellent planning.
- from a report by Oskar Wedel for Die Br=FCcke, translated by James Jakob
Fehr
___
Photos by James Jakob Fehr available on request:
1.. (l to r): Bishop Dr Jaschke and Bernhard Thiessen, pastor of the
Mennonite Church in Hamburg-Altona, at the close of the ecumenical worship
service on Friday evening.
2.. Participants in the conference.
3.. (l to r): Bishop Dr Jaschke, Larry Miller, and Fernando Enns leading
discussion
***
Mennonite World Conference is a communion (Koinonia) of Anabaptist-related
churches linked to one another in a worldwide community of faith for
fellowship, worship, service, and witness.
_______________________________________________
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Center for Strength-based Strategies
Ray Gingerich, Associate
5631 Bentwood Lane
Greendale (Milwaukee), WI 53129
phone (512) 569-7111
email rjgingerich@xxxxxxxxx
fax (815) 371-2292
website: www.buildmotivation.com
"Change is possible when I stop trying to become that which I am not and
become that which I am." Frederick Perls
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