Publication of Methodist-Catholic Dialogue Commission Synthesis Document

The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, together with the World Methodist Council, has published a synthesis document entitled We Believe in One God, synthesising the work of the Joint International Commission for Dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Roman Catholic Church (MERCIC) over the past six decades.

Printed by Libreria Editrice Vaticana as part of the Dicastery’s Ut Unum Sint series, the volume draws together the results of 11 reports produced by the Commission since 1967. These reports explore topics such as baptism, holiness, Scripture and tradition, the Eucharist, the nature and mission of the church and the call to visible communion. The document’s Preface, written by the Commission’s Co-Chairs, describes the document as “both a record of hope and a call to deeper communion”. During the year in which Christians mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea – the first attempt to reach consensus amongst the early Christian communities – the publication is intended as “a gift to all the churches, as they affirm their faith in the Triune God and reflect on the next stages of the quest for Christian unity”.

Although there is no history of formal separation between Catholics and Methodists, with Methodism having begun as a revival movement within the Church of England in the 18th century, We Believe in One God makes clear that “division is real”, requiring “healing of memories, acknowledgment of past wrongs and the retelling of histories to honour victims and foster mutual respect and trust”. The document seeks to set out in a clear and concise way the many shared convictions, as well as the remaining differences of perspective on faith, on the nature and mission of the church, and on the foundations for living a holy Christian life. It offers a summary of the fruits of the past sixty years, while offering important signs of hope for the future of the ecumenical journey.

Click <HERE> to download We Believe in One God: Sixty Year of Methodists and Catholics Walking Together.