JOINT NEWS RELEASE
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
December 13, 2000
THOMASHOF, Germany–The third meeting of the Mennonite-Roman Catholic international dialogue took place at the Thomashof Tagungsstatte, a Mennonite conference centre near Karlsruhe, Germany, November 24-30, 2000. Co-sponsored by the Mennonite World Conference (Strasbourg) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (Vatican City), the dialogue began in 1998 and is anticipated to run for five annual sessions after which it will issue a report. Dr. Helmut Harder (Mennonite, Winnipeg, Canada) and Bishop Joseph Martino (Roman Catholic, Philadelphia, PA, USA) are co-chairmen.
This session of the dialogue focused on two themes, one of a contemporary nature formulated under the question, “What is a Peace Church?” The interest in the question of peace arises anew in light of the fact that Mennonites are identified as one of the Historic Peace Churches, and Catholics have addressed the issue of peace in recent times in a new way, in a variety of texts, including Gaudium et Spes (Second Vatican Council) and Papal encyclicals, from Pacem in Terris (John XXIII) to Centesimus Annus (Pope John Paul II). The Mennonite papers were presented by Rev. Andrea Lange (Bolanden-Weierhof, Germany) and Rev. Mario Higueros (Ciudad di Guatemala, Guatemala), and the Catholic paper by Rev. Drew Christiansen, S.J. (Washington, D.C., USA). The second theme focused on the impact of the Constantinian shift on the Church. Papers were presented on the Catholic side by Dr. Peter Nissen (Nijmegen, The Netherlands) and on the Mennonite side by Dr. Alan Kreider (Elkhart, Indiana, USA).
The general purpose of the dialogue is to promote better understanding of the positions about Christian faith held on each side, and to contribute to overcoming prejudices that have existed since the sixteenth century between Mennonites and Catholics, towards contributing to a healing of memories.
On Sunday morning, November 26, dialogue participants were guests of the Thomashof Mennonite Church for worship. That evening they met with Mennonite, Catholic and other leaders from different parts of Germany for dinner, followed by discussion concerning the international dialogue as well as the ecumenical situation in general. On Monday afternoon, November 27, the participants visited the Mennonite community at the Weierhof, including the new facility of the German Mennonite Historical Archives.
Other participants on the Mennonite side were Dr. Howard J. Loewen (Fresno, CA., USA), Dr. Nzash U. Lumeya (Congo/USA), Dr. Neal Blough (Paris, France) and Dr. Larry Miller (Strasbourg, France) who acted as co-secretary. Other Roman Catholic participants included Dr. Joan Patricia Back (Rome/England), Msgr. John Mutiso-Mbinda (Rome/Kenya), Dr. James Puglisi S.A. (Rome/USA) and Msgr. John A. Radano (Rome/USA), also a co-secretary.
The fourth annual session of the dialogue is scheduled for November 2001.