NEWS RELEASE
Mennonite World Conference (MWC)
January 28, 2002
ASSISI, Italy – Global Anabaptist-related churches may be surprised to learn that Catholics believe in baptizing adults on confession of faith. Wasn’t voluntary adult baptism at the root of the turmoil and persecution of Anabaptists in the 16th century in Europe?
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were topics discussed here November 27 to December 3, 2001, at the fourth of five Mennonite-Catholic Dialogues begun in 1998.
“There is much more convergence between a Mennonite and a Catholic understanding of baptism and the Lord’s Supper than has generally been assumed,” said Helmut Harder of Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada), who presented a paper on these topics. He added that the Catholic spokesperson’s “reading” of the import of Vatican II and subsequent discussion is that adult baptism is becoming normative in the Catholic church, with less emphasis on infant and child baptism. Catholics accept persons baptized in non-Catholic communions, if it is done with water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Larry Miller, executive secretary of Mennonite World Conference and a member of the Mennonite delegation, said in a recent interview that he felt an “affinity” with this Catholic theology and practice of baptism. “It is significant for Mennonites to hear the Catholic position on the theology of adult baptism and of its frequency,” said Miller.
Mennonite and Catholic participants in the dialogue on sacraments agreed that “the primary sacrament is Christ and the Body of Christ (the Church),” said Harder. They also agreed that the water of baptism and the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper should be spoken of as “signs,” pointing to a reality beyond themselves. For the Catholics, noted Harder, the emphasis on the objects themselves conveying salvation may be lessening.
He added that the Catholics found it attractive that the Mennonite paper on a theology of baptism and the Lord’s Supper saw participation in these ordinances as bringing spiritual change to the recipient and to the community of faith.
The general focus of the Mennonite-Catholic dialogues has been better understanding and the healing of memories and prejudices, said Miller. Mennonites carry painful memories of the persecution endured by their 16th-century ancestors. Catholics, on the other hand, see the Anabaptists’ departure from the church as an abhorrent fracturing of the unity of the Body of Christ.
The location of the most recent conversation allowed Mennonites to visit the site of the vision of St. Francis, who taught much about peace and reconciliation, and his favourite places of prayer.
Before gathering in Assisi, some of the Mennonites visited Rome, where they met with Pontifical Councils on Christian Unity, Justice and Peace and Interreligious Dialogue. They also toured St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Redemptoris Mater Chapel.
Ferne Burkhardt, News Editor