INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC-PENTECOSTAL DIALOGUE
Rome (Italy) 10-16 June 2011
The International Dialogue between the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Some Classical Pentecostal leaders and Churches has inaugurated the Sixth phase of its conversations in Rome, June 10-16, 2011. The general theme for this quinquennium is Charisms in the Church: Their Spiritual Significance, Discernment, and Pastoral Implications.
The dialogue, begun in 1972, is not seeking to establish structural unity. Its goal is to promote mutual respect and understanding in matters of faith and practice. Genuine exchange and frank dialogue concerning the positions and practices of the respective traditions have informed and guided the conversations, which include daily joint prayer services.
Co-Chairs of the dialogue are the Most Reverend Michael Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh, NC, USA and Rev. Cecil M. Robeck, Professor of Church History and Ecumenics, Fuller Theological Seminary, Assemblies of God, Pasadena, CA, USA. Bishop Burbidge declared: "I am truly honored to have been appointed Co-Chair of the dialogue. Our work and conversations this week have led Catholics and Pentecostals to a deeper understanding and appreciation for some common ground we share regarding charisms of the Holy Spirit. As we continue the dialogue in future years, we are renewed in our commitment to discuss respectfully the challenges that face us as we seek and pray for unity as brothers and sisters in Christ ". Rev. Robeck affirmed: "The International Roman Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue has opened the way for many other conversations and dialogues involving Pentecostals. Ecumenism has moved from the level of fear and animosity to one of respect and openness among several Pentecostal groups. This round, focused upon various gifts or charisms of the Holy Spirit, should go far in pointing out our areas of common ground in life and ministry ".
The topic of this first session was: "Charisms in the Church: Our Common Ground ". A paper on the Catholic perspective was presented by Dr. Teresa Francesca Rossi, Associate Director of the Centro Pro Unione and Professor at the Pontifical University St. Thomas Aquinas (Rome). A Pentecostal perspective was offered by Rev. Keith Warrington, Vice-Principal and Director of Doctoral Studies, Regents Theological College (UK). Other topics on the agenda for the Sixth phase are: Discernment (2012), Healing (2013) and Prophecy (2014). It is expected that the Final Report will be ready by 2015.
Paricipants appreciated the warm and open atmosphere and rejoiced in the significant amount of common ground that was identified despite the differences between the two traditions. Both Catholics and Pentecostals recognize the abundance of gifts given freely by the Holy Spirit, and that the Church has a discerning role to play concerning their exercise. The teams examined the biblical foundations of the charisms and were also provided with a historical and theological overview of the subject. Issues such as the spontaneity or permanence of gifts, their ordinary or extraordinary character, and the roles of clergy and laity were addressed. Reference was also made to the actual situations in our respective Christian communities in different regions of the world. The Dialogue will begin its work next year studying the role of discernment in identifying and exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
This year's session was hosted by the Catholic team. Participants worshipped together on Pentecost Sunday at the Holy Mass presided over by Pope Benedict XVI at St Peter's Basilica. Undoubtedly, as the Pope underlined during his homily, "the Holy Spirit animates the Church. She does not derive from the human will, from reflection, from human's ability and from his capacity to organize, because if this were the case, she would have already been extinct for some time, just as every human thing passes. She is rather the Body of Christ animated by the Holy Spirit". During the General Audience on June 15, 2011, the Pope acknowledged the presence of the Dialogue participants, saying "I welcome the members of the Catholic-Pentecostal International Dialogue and I offer prayerful good wishes for the next phase of their work".
Other delegates from the Catholic Pentecostal churches included: Rev. Nino Gonzalez, District Superintendent for the Southeastern Spanish District Council of Assemblies of God (USA); Rev. S. David Moore, Executive Director of the John Perkins Center for Christian Community Transformation Patten University (International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, USA); Rev. OpokuOnyinah, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost and President of Ghana Pentecostal Council; Rev. Joseph Suico, General Secretary and Director of World Missions for the General Council of the Assemblies of God in the Philippines; Rev. Paul van der Laan, Verenigde Pinkster Evangeliegemeenten (The Netherlands) and Rev. David Cole, Open Bible Churches (Canada), who serves as Co-Secretary. Observers at this year's session were Dr. Daniel Ramírez (University of Michigan, USA) and Mrs. Karen Jorgenson Murphy (Assemblies of God, USA).
Other delegates from the Catholic team included: Dr. Raph Del Colle (Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA); Sr. Maria Ko, F.M.A. (Holy Spirit Seminary, Hong Kong, China); Rev. Fr. Marcial Maçaneiro, SCJ (Faculdade Dehoniana, Brazil) and Mgr. Juan Usma Gómez (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City/Colombia), who serves as Co-Secretary.
[Information Service 136 (2011/I) 21]