INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC - PENTECOSTAL DIALOGUE

Brixen, Italy - ]uly 15-22, 1995

The 6th annual meeting of the fourth phase of the Roman Catholic/Pentecostal Dialogue was held in Brixen, Italy, July 15-22, 1995. The meeting was co-sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and several Classical Pentecostal churches and leaders.

Co-chairmen of the Dialogue are the Rev. Cecil M. Robeck, Jr. (Assemblies of God, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.) and Fr. Kilian McDonnell, O.S.B. (St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, U.S.A.).

Presentations were given by Fr. Kilian McDonnell, O.S.E. for the Roman Catholic team and by Professor Walter Hollenweger for the Pentecostal team both on the theme of Common Witness.

The goal of the dialogue is the deepening of mutual understanding and respect, not organic or structural unity. There was mutual reaffirmation of the importance of this dialogue in order to discover areas of agreement, convergence, disagreement and areas where further study is needed.

The theme of this phase of dialogue is Evangelization. Discussion of common witness revealed the need of the world to hear the Gospel, and the difficulties of Christians to witness together, because of their divisions. At the same time it was noted that there are instances found in different places where common witness among Christians, including Pentecostals and Roman Catholics, is already developing. Both papers presented a number of suggestions which offer opportunities for possible ways to witness to the Gospel together in the future.

The discussions were conducted in a spirit of candour, mutual trust and appreciation. The formal dialogue sessions were preceded and followed by devotional services, led alternately by members of the two teams.

Pentecostal participants also included: Rev. Cheryl Bridges Johns (Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee, U.S.A.); Rev. Ronald Kydd (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, Keene, Ontario, Canada) who serves as co-secretary, Rev. Gary McGee (Assemblies of God); Rev. François Moller (Apostolic Faith Mission); Rev. Steve Overman (International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A.); Rev. Raymond M. Pruitt (Church of God of Prophecy, Cleveland, Tennessee, U.S.A.); Rev. Del Tarr (Assemblies of God).

Pentecostals attending as observers were: Rev. Huibert Zegwaart (Broederschap van Pinkstergemeenten, The Netherlands); Rev. Jackie Johns, (Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee, U.S.A.).

Roman Catholic participants also included Fr. Norbert Baumert, S.J. (Frankfurt/M, Germany); Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap. (Rome, Italy); Fr. John Haughey, S.J. (Loyola University, Chicago, U.S.A.); Fr. Hervé Legrand, O.P. (Institut Catholique, Paris, France); Sr. Helen Rolfson, O.S.F. (St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, U.S.A.), and Msgr. John A. Radano (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City).

[Information Service 89 (1995/II-III) 94-95]