29th Seminar for Ecumenism in Spain

From 10‒12 February 2020, the 29th Seminar for episcopal delegates and secretariat directors of Spanish dioceses was held at the venue of the Bishops’ Conference of Spain (Conferencia Episcopal Española, CEE), presided by Most Reverend Manuel Herrero Fernández, Bishop of Palencia, and D. Rafael Vásquez, Director of the Secretariat for Interconfessional Relations of the CEE. The theme of the meeting was “The Evangelical Churches and Ecclesial Communities and Their Presence in Spain”. Most Reverend Adolfo González Montes, the bishop responsible for ecumenism, was not able to be present but sent his greetings to the 57 participants from 35 dioceses, including representatives of various ecumenical centres, theological faculties and other churches and ecclesial communities.

Among other relators, speakers included Julio Díaz Piñero, rector of the Faculty of Theology of the Evangelical Baptist Union of Spain; Gabino Fernández Campos, historian and director of the Centre for Studies on the Reformation; Antonio Montañés J., researcher and professor at the University of St Andrews; Emmanuel Buch Camí, pastor of the ‘Cristo Vive’ Evangelical Church of Madrid; Monsignor Juan Usma Gómez of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; and Santiago Madrigal, SJ, professor at the Comillas Pontifical University.

The seminar also offered the opportunity for a fraternal exchange on the work, projects and initiatives carried out by the various dioceses at the ecumenical and interreligious levels, as well as on the challenges and difficulties to be faced in promoting Christian unity at all levels.