September 28, 2000

"It would seem useful and appropriate to take stock of the experience of the last three decades and to map out the perspectives for ecumenical dialogue in the period ahead," says Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, in his "The Nature and Purpose of Ecumenical Dialogue: Proposal for a Study" in the ecumenical review 52/3 (July 2000): 287-292. Following Raiser, Bishop Walter Kasper of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity discusses "The Nature and Purpose of Ecumenical Dialogue" [pp. 293-299]. He notes that "of particular importance is the ecumenical dialogue in theological faculties and academies."

The text of the controversial Vatican Document, "Dominus Jesus: On the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church," can be found in Origins, 30/14 (September 14, 2000). Among the numerous reflections on the document are "Mother Rome" in The Christian Century (September 13-20): 805-807 and "Perspective on Latest Vatican Declaration Dominus Jesus" from Rev. Thomas Ryan, CSP of the Paulist Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (tomryan@paulist.org).

In "Implications of an Ecumenical Agreement," Rev. Peter Drilling explores the implications of the Roman Catholic-Lutheran declaration on justification. He contends: We may be closer than we think. "Remaining differences, while still nettlesome, ought now to be so intractable now as they seemed to be in the past." [America, August 12-19, 2000, pp. 14-18.]

Arne Rasmusson offers a strong and straightforward analysis in his "Ecclesiology and Ethics: The Difficulties of Ecclesial Moral Reflection." After considering the roots of the modern ethical project, he "outline[s] some basic characteristics of ecclesial moral reflection, as developed by some of the its most influential and controversial proponents, especially John Howard Yoder, Stanley Hauerwas and John Milbank." He then uses an example to clarify some of the difficult issues we encounter these days in ecclesial ethical reflection. [the ecumenical review, 52/2 (April 2000) pp. 180-194].

Theology Digest [ 47/2 (Summer 2000) pp. 117-123] offers an interesting presentation of Jean Rigal's "Toward an Ecclesiology of Communion." Rigal "outlines the contributions of Yves Congar (Roman Catholic), Jean Zizioulas (Orthodox), and Jurgen Moltmann (Reformed) to [this] concept." This "communion given in Jesus Christ... must by the Spirit, always be implemented. All three theologians emphasize its eschatological aspect." This issue also offers a digest of "Fides et Ratio and Asian Philosophies" by our colleague Peter Phan of Catholic University.

In "The Papacy for a Global Church," Avery Dulles offers a critical analysis of current proposals for renewing the papal office [America, July 15-22, 2000, pp. 6-11] inspired by the encyclical Ut Unum Sint [1995].

The Anglican-Lutheran Society held its first North American Conference, "Living into Full Communion" at Virginia Theological Seminary in July. Though provoking papers by Dr. Michael Root, the Rev. Dr. William Petersen, Bishop David Tustin and other speakers can be obtained from Rev. Dr. Scott Ickert, the North American Correspondent, at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 6201 N.
Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22205-2099.