LUTHERAN-MENNONITE-ROMAN CATHOLIC TRILATERAL CONVERSATIONS
2012-2017

Communiqué

28 July 2020

Baptism and Incorporation into the Body of Christ, the Church

Representatives of the Catholic Church (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity), the Lutheran World Federation, and the Mennonite World Conference met from 2012-2017 in the context of an international trilateral dialogue on the understanding and practice of Baptism in light of contemporary missional challenges facing all three Christian communities.

The final report of the conversations summarizes the rich discussions that took  place over those six years on three fundamental themes: 1) the relation of Baptism to sin and grace; 2) the celebration of Baptism and the communication of grace and faith in the context of the Christian community; 3) the living out of Baptism in Christian discipleship.  Together the three communions now publish the report as a study document in the hope that, through wide discussion both within the three communities and beyond, it will contribute to better mutual understanding and greater faithfulness to Jesus Christ.  

Participants in the meetings on behalf of the Mennonites were Prof Dr Alfred Neufeld † (co-chair, Paraguay); Prof. Dr Fernando Enns (Germany); Revd Rebecca Adongo Osiro (Kenya); Prof. Dr John Rempel (Canada); Revd Dr Larry Miller (co-secretary, France/USA).

Lutheran delegation members were Prof. Dr Friederike Nüssel (co-chair, Germany); Bishop Emeritus Dr Musawenkosi Biyela (South Africa); Prof. Dr Theodor Dieter (France); Revd Prof. Peter Li (Hong Kong-China); Revd Raj Bharath Patta (India/UK); and Revd Dr Kaisamari Hintikka (co-secretary, Finland/Switzerland).

Catholic Church delegation members were Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga, IMC (co-chair, Colombia); Revd Prof. William Henn, OFM Cap (USA/Italy); Revd Prof. Luis Melo, SM (Canada); Sister Prof. Dr Marie-Hélène Robert, NDA (France); and Revd Avelino González-Ferrer (co-secretary, USA/Vatican).