INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC - PENTECOSTAL DIALOGUE
Rome, Italy, October 3-7, 1977
A meeting was held at the Convent of Trinità dei Monti in Rome, 3-7 October to take up the second phase of a dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and some Pentecostal Churches. A series of five meetings of study and discussion had ended in 1976 and this 1977 meeting began another five-year cycle.
On this occasion there were two themes.
Dr. Vinson Synan, General Secretary of the Pentecostal Holiness Church and Father Kilian Mc-Donnell, OSB, President of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, USA, had prepared papers on "Speaking in tongues as a characteristic aspect of the experience in the Pentecostal movement".
Father J. H. Walgrave, OP, Professor of dogmatic theology, University of Louvain, Belgium, and Dr. F. Moller, President of the Apostolic Faith Mission Church, South Africa, presented papers on "The relationship between faith and experience".
Aspects of these topics had been touched on frequently in the previous cycle of meetings but were now treated at greater depth. The outcome of the discussions will be incorporated in a general report which will be presented at the end of the five-year period.
One of the main problems to emerge from the discussion and one which calls for immediate attention is the interpretation of the Scripture. This will be taken up as the main theme for the meeting in 1978.
Other participants were: Classic Pentecostal: Dr. David J. du Plessis, USA, Co-Chairman; Dr. Robert McAlister, Brazil, Co-Secretary; Dr. Justus T. du Plessis, Republic of South Africa; Dr. John Mears, USA; Dr. F. P. Moller, Republic of South Africa; Dr. Thomas Roberts, France. Observers: Dr. Paul Finkenbinder, USA; Dr. James Lane, USA; Dr. J. E. Worsfold, New Zealand. Roman Catholic: Fr. Pierre Duprey, WF, Italy, Co-Chairman; Mgr. Basil Meeking, Italy, Co-Secretary; Fr W. Dalton, SJ, Italy; Fr J. Lecuyer, CSSP, Italy; Fr. Heribert Mühlen, Germany.
[Information Service 35 (1977/III-IV) 17]