Press Releases
Ecumenical study day
The Irish Inter-Church Meeting - a forum for representatives from the Irish Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Irish Council of Churches (ICC) - held a study day on theological ecumenism on Wednesday 24th October at the Emmaus Retreat Centre, Swords, Co. Dublin.
Canon Ian Ellis (left), one of the organisers of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting study day at the Emmaus Centre in Swords, Co. Dublin, with six participating ordinands from the Church of Ireland Theological College: Stephen Farrell (Clogher), Brian Lacey (Connor), Tracey McRoberts (Down and Dromore), Paul Bogle (Dublin and Glendalough), Michael Dornan (Down and Dromore), and John McLoughlin (Connor).
Photograph: Patrick Comerford
The meeting was co-chaired Archbishop Sean Brady and Mrs Gillian Kingston, President of the ICC.
Dr Mary Tanner, of the Church of England and one of the Presidents of the World Council of Churches, gave the keynote address on ‘A general overview of bilateral dialogues: doors and obstacles from a global perspective’.
The term 'bilateral dialogues' normally refers to formal theological dialogues, at international level, between between two Christian traditions (as opposed to the 'multilateral dialogue' of the World Council of Churches).
Other speakers at the study day - on particular bilateral conversations - were Gillian Kingston, (Methodist/Roman Catholic International Commission), Bishop Tony Farquhar (World Alliance of Reformed Churches/Roman Catholic Dialogue, which he co-Chairs, and the Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission); Professor Cecil McCullough (Community of Protestant Churches in Europe - Leuenberg Church Fellowship); and the Revd Peter Thompson (Covenant Council of the Methodist Church/Church of Ireland).
The meeting was attended by delegates from the member-Churches together with staff and students from eight theological colleges in Belfast and Dublin (All Hallows, The Church of Ireland Theological College, Edgehill College, The Irish School of Ecumenics, Maynooth, Mater Dei, Milltown Institute, and Union College).
In her address, Dr Tanner gave a remarkable survey of ecumenical dialogue - its history, the current situation and possibilities for the future. She emphasized the need for dialogue to continue and the importance of strengthening work on certain issues.
Among the continued difficulties in theological ecumenism that Dr Tanner highlighted were: the relation of Scripture to Tradition; the identity of the Church; the articulation of a shared vision of Church unity; and issues relating to ministry, in particular women’s ordination, apostolicity and succession, oversight and universal primacy.
For further information contact:
The Inter-Church Centre
48 Elmwood Avenue
Belfast
BT9 6AZ
Tel: 028 9066 3145
Email: info
Website: www.irishchurches.org