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 2002 Joint Communiqué: Pentecostal-Reformed International Dialogue
 Faith and Order marks 75th anniversary




2002 Joint Communiqué: Pentecostal-Reformed International Dialogue

May 16-23, 2002 - San Luchesio Hotel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam - May 23, 2002: Delegates of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches met with representatives and leaders of some classical Pentecostal churches in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, May 16-23, 2002. This meeting started what is expected to be the second cycle of dialogue to which both groups have committed themselves in order to build upon areas of common faith and witness while seeking to overcome tensions in other aspects of church life. The report of the first round was published under the title "Word and Spirit, Church and World", the theme of this cycle is "Experience in Christian Faith and Life".

The topic addressed in 2002 was "Experience in Worship". Dr. Joseph Small, director of the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (USA) presented a paper entitled "In Spirit and Truth: Experience and Worship in the Reformed Tradition". The focus was on Calvin's understanding of the presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament, the constitutive role of the proclamation of the gospel in Reformed worship, the inner witness of the Holy Spirit and the difficulty in assessing experiences in worship. Dr. Jean-Daniel Plüss, chairman of the European Pentecostal Charismatic Research Association, read a paper called "Religious Experience in Worship: A Pentecostal Perspective". He combined a theological and descriptive approach to religious experiences, illustrating their function in the community in terms of unity, diversity and reconciliation. An important focus was given to the relational nature of God and the role of testimonies. The discussion focused on the different ways of valuing a wide range of experiences in both Pentecostal and Reformed worship.

The delegates worshipped at Pinkster Gemeente in Amsterdam, one of Europe's oldest Pentecostal churches. In accordance with the intention to relate the discussions of the dialogue to the local Christian context, Dr. Cornelis van der Laan, Professor designate of the Chair of Pentecostal Studies at the Free University in Amsterdam, addressed participants on the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement in the Netherlands. He also described the unique history of contacts between Pentecostal church leaders and representatives of the Reformed churches in the Netherlands during the past 50 years.

Participants on the Pentecostal team included: Dr. Daniela Augustine (Czech Republic), Rev. Dr. David Daniels, co-chair (USA), Rev. Dr. Harold D. Hunter (USA), Dr. Julie Ma (S. Korea/Philippines), Dr. Wonsuk Ma (S. Korea/Philippines), Dr. Jean-Daniel Plüss (Switzerland), and Dr. Cecil M. Robeck, Jr. (USA). From the Reformed team were present: Rev. Dr. Paul Ara Haidostian (Lebanon), Rev. Dr. Gesine von Kloeden (Germany), Dr. Odair Pedroso Mateus (WARC staff, Brazil/Switzerland), Rev. Aureo R. de Oliveira (Brazil), Rev. Cephas Omenyo (Ghana), Rev. Dr. Joseph Small, co-chair (USA) and Mrs. Nolipher J. Moyo (Zambia) as official representative of the Reformed Ecumenical Council. The next session will take place in 2003 in Puerto Rico on the theme "Experience in Christian Faith and Life: Discipleship".

Posted: May 23, 2002Transmis : 23 mai, 2002 • TagsMots clés :




Faith and Order marks 75th anniversary

Faith and Order marks 75th anniversary
Celebrations to be held in Switzerland on 25 August 2002

The first meeting of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC), held in Lausanne on 3 August 1927, had very high hopes. Participants believed that the goal of visible unity of the churches was really attainable.

The preacher at the time, Bishop Charles Brent of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the US, reminded the representatives of the churches of Christ's hope "that they might all be one".

"The 75th anniversary of that meeting in Lausanne on 25 August this year provides an opportunity to call the churches once again to the goal of visible unity," says the present director of the WCC's Faith and Order Commission Rev. Dr Alan Falconer.

The 1927 meeting took place when memories of the first world war were still fresh. "In 2002, in a deeply divided world, the call to unity assumes even greater urgency if the church is to provide an alternative of reconciliation between peoples and with God," Falconer explains.

During the 75 years, Faith and Order has encouraged the search for unity on a number of levels. For parishes, it provides worship materials and brings local communities together for the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, that serves to stimulate a vision of the church as wider than the local parish.

Secondly, it brings churches who are seeking to unite, into dialogue, facilitating the exchange of information on church union negotiations and bilateral dialogues, and bringing people together for common reflection. The results of Faith and Order dialogues have become the basis for many agreements for changed relationships among churches.

"The patient work of dialogue in and through Faith and Order leads to conversion to inclusiveness and communion. It is essential for the witness of the church," says Falconer.

The anniversary celebrations will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland, on the afternoon of Sunday 25 August. They will begin with the laying of a wreath on the grave of Bishop Charles Brent, who had been so inspired by the visions spelled out in Lausanne in 1927, especially as they were manifested in the local churches, that he later chose to spend his retirement there.

There will be a convocation with a number of presentations on the work, impact and future of Faith and Order, and the celebrations will culminate in an ecumenical service of celebration in Lausanne's cathedral.

Arrangements for the celebrations are in the hands of a local committee of representatives of church communities in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, as well as of Faith and Order staff.

The WCC Central Committee is due to meet in Geneva the following week. Thus all WCC officers, Executive Committee and many Central Committee members will be present, ensuring wide international representation in the celebrations.

The celebrations will include significant Roman Catholic participation. "Since 1968, the Roman Catholic Church has been a full member of the Faith and Order Commission. They had already participated in two earlier Faith and Order world conferences (Lund 1952 and Montreal 1963). Their participation has always been intense and they have played a seminal role in Faith and Order since that time," Falconer reports.

The local Lausanne ecumenical committee will hold a preliminary PRESS CONFERENCE on Tuesday 14 May 2002 at 1130hrs at the Maison du dialogue L'Arzillier, Av de Rumine 62, Lausanne Contact: Pastor Martin Hoegger: tel: 0041 21 635 9708; mobile 0041 79 7744149

The WCC will hold a press conference in Geneva before the August celebrations. Details to be announced later.

Sunday, 25 August 2002

75th anniversary of the first world conference of the
Commission of Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches
held in Lausanne, 3 August 1927

1500hrs - Wreath-laying at the grave of Bishop Charles Brent of the Episcopal Church of the USA. Bishop Brent preached the sermon at the first Faith and Order conference. He later retired to live in Lausanne. The short ceremony will be attended by officers and staff of the present Faith and Order Commission. (Cimetière du Bois de Vaux, route de Chavannes 2, Lausanne)

1600hrs - Presentations on the work, impact and future of Faith and Order, including a presentation by a young theologian, Anastasia Vassiliadou of the Church of Greece. (Aula of the University of Lausanne, Aula du Palais de Rumine, Place de la Riponne, Lausanne)

1800hrs - Ecumenical service of celebration and thanksgiving for the work of the Faith and Order movement. The preacher will be His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and all Albania. (Lausanne cathedral, place de la Cathédrale, Lausanne)

Contact people:
Local ecumenical committee:
Pastor Martin Hoegger: tel: 0041 21 635 9708; mobile: 0041 79 7744 149, e-mail:

WCC Faith and Order:
Rev Dr Alan Falconer: tel: 0041 22 791 6337, e-mail:

WCC media relations:
Rev. Bob Scott:, Public Information Team, tel: 0041 22 791 6166; mobile 0041 79 304 7612, e-mail:

For more information contact:
Media Relations Office
tel: (+41 22) 791 64 21 / (+41 22) 791 61 53
e-mail:

Posted: May 10, 2002Transmis : 10 mai, 2002 • TagsMots clés :