Participants in the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Round XI began the writing process for their report when they met Oct. 10-14 at St. Paul's College, Washington, D.C. The meeting was the fifth of Round XI, in which the participants are discussing "The Hope of Eternal Life."The current dialogue topic, "The Hope of Eternal Life," was selected in 2004 and involves study of issues related to the Christian's life beyond death.
Dialogue members are considering such issues as purgatory, indulgences, and masses and prayers for the dead.
Particular sections were assigned to participants with the goal of preparing an initial draft.
When the dialogue team meets again in the spring, members will discuss and refine the initial draft, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, Lutheran co-chair of the U.S. dialogue and former secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
"Clearly, the topic of 'Hope of Eternal Life' has many pastoral dimensions. I expect the report, when completed, will be helpful to both members of parishes and pastors," Almen said.
"In any dialogue this is an exciting moment, filled with promise, but also requiring care and precision," said the Most Rev. Richard J. Sklba, Roman Catholic co-chair of the dialogue and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
"The excellent scholar members of the dialogue have brought us to this phase of the dialogue, and I am grateful to each of the participants. The next meeting of the dialogue is April 3-6, 2008. The meeting will provide a "clearer sense of the shape of the report and the specific recommendations which we will present to our churches at the conclusion of the dialogue," Sklba said.
"This may yet require an additional two years of mutual ecumenical collaboration, study and prayer," he added.
Participants in the October 2007 meeting mourned the loss of an original member of the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue, the Rev. George Tavard, A.A., emeritus professor of theology, Brighton, Mass.
Tavard died on Aug. 13 at a Paris airport on his way back to the United States after visiting his sister in France.
Tavard was on the planning committee in 1965 for the first dialogue and had served on each round of the dialogue since then.
"His knowledge of the Second Vatican Council was a significant ingredient in deliberations. He had the experience of first-hand acquaintance with the council's deliberations," Almen said.
In addition to theologians from the ELCA and the Roman Catholic Church, the dialogue includes two participants from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Dialogue participants presented and discussed several reports and papers in their most recent meeting:
+ Dr. Margaret O'Gara, faculty of theology, University of St. Michael's College, presented a paper, "Toward Convergence on the Eucharist Offered for the Dead."
+ Dr. Christian David Washburn, lecturer, systematic theology, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Drexel Hill, Pa., presented, "What is Meant by Prayer for Others (Including the Dead)."
The Rev. Winston D. Persaud, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, presented a paper on the same subject for the Lutherans.
+ Dr. Michael J. Root, ELCA associate in ministry, professor of systematic theology and dean, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C., presented a paper on "Merit." Tavard was also to have presented on this topic.
+ Almen presented "Lutheran liturgical reflection of the unity of the church throughout time and eternity."
+ The Rev. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., Jesuit community, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., presented a paper on the biblical treatment of "Hell."
+ The Rev. John H. P. Reumann, emeritus professor of New Testament and Greek, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, presented a paper on the biblical treatment of "Heaven."
+ The Rev. Stephen J. Hultgren, assistant professor, Department of Theology, Fordham University, Bronx, N.Y., presented "Justification by Faith and Judgment by Works."
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