Joint Statement of Faith for Evangelicals and Catholics in Saskatoon

 — Sept. 18, 201418 sept. 2014

The Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Saskatoon has recently issued a draft “Common Statement of Faith” after three years of study. The text is offered to our sponsoring churches for study and discernment, with the prayer that this text might be adopted as a sufficient statement for further dialogue and common mission. [Note: a revised text was circulated to the churches of Saskatoon in June 2015.]

The dialogue is sponsored by the Saskatoon Evangelical Ministers’ Fellowship (SEMF) and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon. The group was established in 2011 to build upon earlier efforts to draw our churches together. The twenty members of the dialogue are drawn from across the Evangelical and Catholic communities with both clergy and lay people well represented. The dialogue spent two years exploring issues that have historically divided Catholics and Evangelicals before concluding that a statement of the faith we share in common would assist in promoting the growing relationship between our churches. Over a year in drafting and revision, the statement offered to our church at this time is not intended to be a final or complete exposition of these doctrinal matters or of all of the matters essential to Christian faith. We intend to give an account of the hope that we share for the visible witness of Jesus Christ by his followers in Saskatoon.

The statement is in three parts: We Confess our Shared Faith; We Acknowledge our Central Differences; and We affirm our Common Mission. Each of these parts builds upon the life and witness of our churches already. The faith we share is the apostolic faith proclaimed by the church for 2,000 years, yet we recognize that our lives of faith and our understanding of the Biblical witness remain distinct after centuries of division. Part two invites continued dialogue on the matters that continue to divide us, but we recognize that the substantial agreement in part one allows us to proceed to share together in common witness and mission. In part three we offer suggestions for our congregations to work together and to give visible expression to the unity which Christ is forming among us.

The Evangelical members of the dialogue are: Pastor Harry Strauss (Forest Grove Community Church), Carmen & Leanne Bellamy (Circle Drive Alliance Church), Dr. Bill Blackmon (Ecumenical Advocate, SEMF), Pastor Brendon Gibson (Emmanuel Baptist Church), Pastor Harley Johnson (Good Shepherd Lutheran Church), Jodi Kozan (Women’s Journey of Faith), Dr. Jeromey Martini (President, Horizon College), Grant Myhre (Circle Drive Alliance Church), and Pastor Bob Parker (Saskatoon Church for Christ).

The Catholic members of the dialogue are: Bishop Donald Bolen, Nicholas Jesson (ecumenical officer, Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon), Francine Audy (St. Paul’s Co-Cathedral), Diane Boyko (St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral), Fr. Bernard de Margerie (Paroisse Sts-Martyrs-Canadien), John Hickey (Catholic Christian Outreach), Kate O’Gorman (Lay Formation Coordinator, Catholic Pastoral Centre), David Smith (Holy Spirit Parish), Dr. Robert Stackpole (St. Therese Institute, Bruno), and Fr. Geoffrey Young (Wadena Pastoral Region).

Posted: Sept. 18, 2014 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=7786
Categories: Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecumenism, Evangelicals, Saskatoon, statements of faith Transmis : 18 sept. 2014 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=7786
Catégorie : Evangelical-Roman Catholic Dialogue • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, dialogue, ecumenism, Evangelicals, Saskatoon, statements of faith