December 18, 2000

In "The Gift of Authority: An Observer's Report and Analysis," the noted Lutheran ecumenist Michael Root offers an extended discussion of the May, 1999 Anglican-Roman Catholic statement. "At the heart of GA [The Gift of Authority] is the intent to present authority in the church not as a necessary evil, but rather as a positive good, a gift of God in aid of mission." He notes that conflict often "had more to do with perceived abuses than with dissent from the sort of primacy described in GA...." He concludes that "GA has certainly gone a long way towards resolving the problem of authority, at least as it exists between Anglicans and Catholics. What is needed now are the actions that will help the churches move from what must be done by thought to what can only be done by life." [the ecumenical review
52/1(January 2000): 57-71].

In his "Apostolic succession in the office of bishop as an ecumenical problem," Bishop Walter Kasper contends that "Vatican II recovered the sacramental and spiritual dimension of the church and understands successio apostolica--as do the NT and the early church--as intrinsically connected with traditio and communio. This perspective...can provide a new and promising departure point for ecumenical dialogue in our time." [Theology Digest, 47/3 (Fall 2000)].

The October 2000 issues of Mid-Stream: The Ecumenical Movement Today is devoted to the Disciples of Christ' Conference which examined "a new vision for Christian unity in the new millennium."Michael Kinnamon presented "A New Vision for a New Millennium," in asking fifteen questions--five pertaining to the Disciples and ten dealing more with ecumenism in general. Pablo Jimenez ("Christianity becomes a minority religion in America....") and Lydia Veliko ("This work can be difficult to the point of excruciating if Christians actually engage each other honestly.") offer concise and challenging responses [Volume 39, No 4, pages 3-19].

In "The Papacy for an ecumenical Age" Ladislas Orsy, SJ, former professor on Canon Law at Catholic University, offers a detailed response to the recent article by Avery Dulles, SJ [America, October 21, 2000, pp. 9-15.] noted in our Ecumenical Update #7.

The November 2000 issue of Ecumenical Trends [Vol. 29, No.10] focuses on the Catholic- Pentecostal dialogue and in particular on issues around evangelism and proselytism--with articles by Ralph Del Colle and Cecil M. Robeck. Elizabeth Mellen provides an introduction and helpful footnote references [pp. 145-146].

The Consortium Annual Unity Week Celebration will take place on Tuesday, January 23 at Wesley Seminary beginning at 7:30. The homilist will be The Rev. Bill Haley, Director of Outreach, Falls Church Episcopal Church; President and Publisher, The Regeneration Quarterly and Forum.

The Consortium Ecumenism Committee is seeking nominations for the Consortium Ecumenism Award by January 5, 2001. Candidates for this award are men and women who have served ecumenism nationally or locally. For more information call the Consortium Office at 202-832-2675.