“Walking in someone else’s shoes: Using empathy to heal conflict” is the title of the 2005 Restorative Justice Week workshop. Keynote speaker: Mary Rose Boyer, and additional workshops. At Mount Royal Mennonite Church (610 Avenue O North, Saskatoon) on November 15, from 1:30 to 9 p.m. $15 for registration, $7 for underwaged persons, students no
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A guest lecture by Zoe Bennett, director of postgraduate studies in pastoral theology, Anglia Ruskin University and Cambridge Theological Federation at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Wednesday, November 9, 2005, Room 3050, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, from 7 to 10 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Sponsored by the Department of Educational Foundations, College
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40 YEARS OF WCC-ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH COLLABORATION: KASPER AND ARAM I TO ADDRESS THE RENEWAL OF ECUMENISM IN 21ST CENTURY Forty years after they set out on an ecumenical journey together, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) are celebrating their joint anniversary with a public event
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“After the first few months of the new pontificate, the general impression is that no one within the Church is seriously criticizing the central theses – philosophical and theological – of Benedict XVI’s preaching. But that’s not the way it is. One Catholic philosopher has disputed one of the main points of Joseph Ratzinger’s thought: the one dealing with the natural law and relativism. The philosopher is Dario Antiseri, a professor of social sciences methodology at the Free International University of Social Studies in Rome.”

The above comes from Sandro Magister, an Italian journalist. The full text can be found at www.chiesa.espressonline.it. Magister’s article includes a translation of a major piece of Dario Antiseri’s original journal article.
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International Meeting on Responsible Investment:
“A Non-Violent Response to the Israeli Occupation?”

Toronto, Ontario, 25-29 October 2005
A trip report by Stuart Brown, Canadian Centre for Ecumenism
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Colloque international sur les investissements responsables
« Une Réponse non violente à l’occupation israélienne? »

Toronto, Ontario, 25-29 octobre 2005
Un rapport de voyage par Dr. Stuart Brown, Centre canadien d’œcuménisme
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SÃO LEOPOLDO, Brazil (ELCA) — Some people find it confusing that Lutherans are involved in many different “full communion” relationships, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson said in a panel discussion on ecumenism here Oct. 13. “I always say that’s because our confessions call us to seek deeper unity in the church but allow greater flexibility
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[Montreal] On the Montreal leg of his visit to Canada, Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church and president of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, addressed leaders of various churches at a dinner held at the Armenian Prelature of Canada on 26 September. The next day saw His
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The murder this week of Brother Roger Schutz, founder of the Taizé community, shocked Christians everywhere. But his vision will still draw pilgrims.

The success story of this Protestant “monastery” is the unlikely story of a determined man, Roger Schutz, and of his impossible dream: the reconciliation of Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians. How did his little community of companions, both Protestant and Catholic, who settled in a small village in Burgundy in 1940, become the European ecumenical pastoral youth centre which it is today, visited by 6,000 adolescents each week and 100,000 pilgrims every year, from every part of the world? The programme is austere – worship three times a day in the hangar-like church (built by young volunteers), Bible study and discussion groups – and the lifestyle spartan – sleeping rough in tents or barracks, simple food hastily consumed after queuing at length to be served.
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La Communauté de Taizé et la communauté œcuménique entière a de la peine la perte de Frère Roger, le fondateur de la Communauté de Taizé. Frère Roger fondé la Communauté en août de 1940 dans le village de Taizé, près de Cluny. La Communauté est dédié à la réconciliation de chrétiens. Taizé est su pour
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The Community of Taizé and the whole ecumenical community grieve the loss of Bro. Roger, the founder of the Taizé community. Bro. Roger founded the community in August of 1940 in the village of Taizé, close to Cluny. The community is dedicated to the reconciliation of Christians. Taizé is known for its outreach to youth
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Aux Frères de la Communauté de Taizé F-71250 Taizé, France Mes chers frères en Christ Ayant appris la triste nouvelle du départ de votre prieur tant aimé, le Frère Roger, dans des circonstances si difficiles nous nous hâtons de vous exprimer nos condoléances sincères et profondes. Nous vous assurons de notre solidarité et de nos
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To the Brothers of the Community of Taizé F-71250 Taizé, France My dear brothers in Christ We have just learned the sad news of the death of your beloved prior, Brother Roger, in such tragic circumstances, and we hasten to express our sincere and profound condolences. We assure you of our solidarity and our prayers
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A delegation of church leaders will be visiting Armenia from August 24 to September 1, 2005. The delegation is the first such visit by the Canadian churches to Armenia. The delegation will be visiting His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The visit is organized by the Canadian Diocese of the
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A global gathering will be held in Montreal from 11-15 September 2006. The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, which convened the meeting of the latest Parliament in Barcelona in 2004, has officially recognized this global congress as a Post-Parliament event. For detailed information visit the website of the Global Congress or contact
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In April 2005 the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem issued A Call for Morally Responsible Investment: A Non-Violent Response to the Israeli Occupation [PDF]. An international conference under the same title will be held in Toronto from 26-29 October 2005. This international conference for CROs (Church Related Organizations) and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) seeks
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The College of Emmanuel and St. Chad has signed a lease agreement with the Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) that will lead to sharing the LTS building for the next three years. Emmanuel-St. Chad is the Anglican college in the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU), in partnership with LTS and St. Andrew’s, the United Church college. For
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The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) have begun a “bilateral conversation” at the invitation of the CRC. The PCC Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations committee reported to this summer’s General Assembly that the CRC have issued an invitation to “bilateral conversation, or dialogue, about issues of common
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The United Church of Canada is engaged in a study process towards the adoption of a new statement of faith. The proposed statement would not replace any existing document — the Basis of Union, the 1940 Statement of Faith, or A New Creed (1968) — but would supplement the existing statements. The study process, entitled
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An official application for membership in the Canadian Council of Churches from the Mennonite Church Canada has been enthusiastically received and unanimously approved by the other member churches of the CCC. This brings the membership of the Canadian Council of Churches up to twenty traditions, including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox
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The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) have begun a “bilateral conversation” at the invitation of the CRC. The PCC Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations committee reported to this summer’s General Assembly that the CRC have issued an invitation to “bilateral conversation, or dialogue, about issues of common
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An official application for membership in the Canadian Council of Churches from Mennonite Church Canada was enthusiastically received and unanimously approved by the other member churches of the CCC. This brings the membership of the Canadian Council of Churches up to twenty traditions, including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Protestant and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. Mennonite
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En vue de reconnaître et de promouvoir l’animation œcuménique tant au plan local qu’au plan régional, le Centre canadien d’œcuménisme décerne annuellement l’Ordre du Mérite œcuménique canadien. Le nom du récipiendaire sera dévoilé dans notre numéro de décembre 2005. Nous vous invitons donc à soumettre des candidatures accompagnées d’une courte description de leurs réalisations œcuméniques.
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To promote and recognize Grass-roots Ecumenical Leadership on the local or regional level, the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism confers an annual Ecumenical Leadership Award. The recipient will be announced in the December 2005 issue of Ecumenism. We invite our readers to submit the names of the candidates with a brief description of why they are
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The full text of Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ has been published on our website with the permission of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

An Introduction to Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ, prepared by the Rev. Don Bolen, co-secretary of ARCIC II, and staff-person at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and A Commentary by Jared Wicks, s.j. are available on the Vatican website; A commentary and study guide by Timothy Bradshaw is available on the Anglican Communion website.
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The review, Oasis/al-Waha/Nakhlistan, was launched on 7 March 2005 to promote an open and respectful dialogue with Islam, and to support Christian minorities in predominantly Muslim countries. Initially, Oasis will be published twice a year. Edited by a committee of experts from around the world, it is published in four editions: English-Arabic, English-Urdu, French-Arabic and
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Papal Reflections on Marriage and the Family

I found this article on the Vatican Information Service about Pope Benedict’s comments at a Rome congress on “The Family and the Christian Community.” I think that he has some positive affirmations to make about families, but I find it interesting that as I was trying to attend to the positives, he kept turning to the negatives. So, for example, he speaks about marriage but ends the section by cautioning about “pseudo-marriage” and divorce.

I wonder whether this gives us some insight into Benedict’s character, or at least some insight into his attitude towards married life. He ends his comments by calling for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. That’s not exactly a rousing endorsement of marriage.

We should remember that Benedict’s favourite theologian is Augustine of Hippo, who had very similar fears about marriage. It is good and natural in theory, but a risky venture that might imperil your salvation. One is better off avoiding it altogether.
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When Catholics hold interfaith dialogue with Muslims, one of the first topics to be discussed is the veneration given to the Virgin Mary in the two traditions. Teaching about Mary is seen as something that unites, rather than divides Catholicism and Islam; yet among Christians, the practices of Marian doctrine and devotion have generally been read as clear indicators of the differences between Catholics and Protestants. They have also, on occasion, signified the differences even between Catholics and Orthodox.

It is only fairly recently, therefore, that ecumenical dialogue groups have arrived at this touchy subject. The most recent statement from the ARCIC (Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission), “Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ” – which was ready many months ago, but had been awaiting approval from Rome before it could be published – has therefore been anticipated with bated breath.
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During Holy Weeek, one Anglican member of ARCIC sent the rest of us the poem, “Good Friday Falls on Lady Day” via email. The poet, G. Studdert Kennedy, also an Anglican, wrote:

She claims no crown from Christ apart
Who gave God life and limb
She only claims a broken heart
Because of Him.

I knew that the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord would coincide with Good Friday this year, but I did not know the poem, and I was touched to receive it. In a way, this captures something special about the process of producing “Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ”.
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Some of the liveliest debates at ARCIC meetings have been over titles. We worked together for five years on the “Mary document”, so we all have strong feelings about the progress we made and the best way to present it. “Put Mary in the title”, said one member, “and it will fly off the shelves.” “Put grace and hope in the title”, said another, “because that’s how we have approached the two Marian dogmas.” “Put Christ in the title,” we all agreed, because again and again we reminded each other that the Church is interested in Mary because she is the mother of the Lord.

ARCIC does not set its own agenda. We worked on Mary because we were asked for “a study of Mary in the life and doctrine of the Church” and because of the acknowledged differences between our two communions over Mariological teaching.
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[ACNS 3978a | ACO | 16 MAY 2005] The Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) has released its latest document in its continuing dialogue. Also called ‘The Seattle Statement’, the ARCIC Co-Chairs, Archbishop Alexander Brunett of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, and Archbishop Peter Carnley, Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, were present
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VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2005 (VIS) – The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Anglican Communion Office announced in a communique today that the most recent report of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), entitled “Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ,” will be presented on May 16, 2005 in Seattle, U.S.A., where the
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by Don Retson, Edmonton Journal EDMONTON – David Johnston says he’s been troubled for years over “compromises” on faith and doctrine by the national leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada. Last Saturday, Johnston, a former Anglican priest in Fort Saskatchewan, and seven of his former parishioners, were received as lay members of the Orthodox
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You would like to participate in the 9-16 May conference in Athens on healing and reconciliation but you can’t be physically present? Why not participate online? Here is how: * Tune in to live broadcasts of the plenary sessions on the internet. * Watch archived videos of the plenaries to be watched at your leisure
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Vous auriez souhaité participer à la conférence qui se tiendra du 9 au 16 mai à Athènes, sur le thème de la guérison et la réconciliation, mais vous ne pourrez pas être présent ? Participez sur Internet ! Voici comment : * Suivez les sessions plénières en direct en vidéo sur Internet. * Regardez les
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As Christian leaders in Saskatoon we are hearing with deep concern the report of the impending closure of the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, the Anglican theological college in Saskatoon. Theological education on the University of Saskatchewan campus has been a beacon of hope for prairie communities through the cooperation of Anglican, Lutheran and
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Genève — En félicitant le pape nouvellement élu, le secrétaire général du Conseil œcuménique des Eglises (COE), le pasteur Samuel Kobia, a prié pour un “engagement renouvelé” en faveur de “l’ouverture œcuménique” et pour “un dialogue de conversion.” Décrivant Benoît XVI comme un homme “connu pour son intégrité théologique et sa loyauté ecclésiale, sa simplicité
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Geneva — In congratulating the newly-elected pope, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia prayed for “renewed commitment” to “ecumenical openess” and “a dialogue of conversion.” Describing Benedict XVI as a man “known for his theological integrity and ecclesial loyalty, his evangelical simplicity and pastoral sensitivity,” Kobia expressed his hope that his
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For all the Vatican’s increasingly enlightened view of women’s role in the world, prejudice still prevents many from participating fully within Catholicism. Changing that needs to be high on the next pope’s agenda

Last week I stood in a pew at Westminster Cathedral watching the procession to the altar for Solemn Vespers for Pope John Paul II. It was an impressive, dignified sight, with Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the bishops of Westminster diocese, priests, ecumenical and interfaith guests, and the choir gathering for a service to commemorate John Paul II. Both the procession and the service could be perceived as a metaphor for the Church and its relationship with women. The voice of a woman was heard just once, reading a bidding prayer and the reader, a cleric from another denomination, was one of just two females in the procession. The other was a young teenage altar server. The congregation, however, was different: I would estimate that more than half the people attending were women.
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CHICAGO (ELCA) — Benjamin J. Dueholm received a $500 grant toward his tuition at the University of Chicago Divinity School for his essay, “Separated by a Common Faith: Dialogue and Proclamation in Light of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.” The Lutheran Ecumenical Representatives Network (LERN) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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Le personnel du Centre Canadien d’œcuménisme partage le deuil des fidèles et des gens de bonne volonté du monde entier en rendant grâce à Dieu pour la vie et l’oeuvre de Sa Sainteté Jean-Paul II, qui nous a quittés samedi passé. Nous sommes surtout reconnaissants pour les nombreuses instances d’appui que le Saint Père a fournies
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The full text of the tribute paid by WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia to Pope John Paul II, highlighting some of the specific achievements of his pontificate, is available from the WCC website. Pope John Paul II has been among the most outstanding personalities during these last decades, with an impact far beyond the Roman
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Le texte complet du tribut rendu par le secrétaire général du COE, le pasteur Samuel Kobia, au pape Jean-Paul II est dans le site web du COE. Ce texte met en évidence certains aboutissements de ce pontificat. Le pape Jean-Paul II a été l’une des personnalités les plus marquantes de ces dernières décennies, et son influence a
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Exprimant la profonde sympathie du Conseil œcuménique des Eglises (COE) à la suite de l’annonce par le Saint Siège de la mort ce jour de sa sainteté le pape Jean-Paul II, le pasteur Samuel Kobia, secrétaire général du COE a déclaré: “Sa Sainteté le pape Jean-Paul II restera dans les mémoires comme l’un des chefs spirituels les
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Expressing the profound sadness of the World Council of Churches (WCC) following the announcement by the Holy See of the death of His Holiness Pope John Paul II today, the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia stated that: “His Holiness Pope John Paul II will be remembered as one of the most courageous spiritual leaders of
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Communion is sign of unity, but often it leaves people feeling excluded, on the outside of the community of the faithful. In the fifth of our series, a Benedictine monk seeks a theological basis for a pastoral re-examination of the problem
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Small writ large, large writ small

When we lived in Cork I had someone come one day to install a Burglar Alarm System. With an intonation in his voice all of his own, which it would be both impertinent and impossible to imitate, he said to me: Twenty years ago, people wanted an Alarm installed because they were out of the house a lot; today they want one installed because they are in the house a lot. Not only had circumstances changed but perspectives had also changed, as indeed had priorities. We too are about such a shift in emphasis and expectation here in the CTBI Assembly. We seek a perspective on the past in order to help to illuminate the priorities of the future. If we are not to become rooted once again in present structures this will require some thinking on our part ‘outside of the box.’ This is all the more necessary as the Assembly seeks a sense of fresh direction.
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Two churches examine shared ministries: Anglican dialogue with United Church began in 2003 by Solange De Santis, Anglican Journal Nearly 30 years after the Anglican and United churches broke off merger talks, the two denominations are again discussing closer ties – but a merger is not on the table. “It’s still in an exploratory phase,
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The churches in Slovakia have experienced more than a decade of renewal and growth after four decades of living in a political situation that, while allowing the churches to exist, attempted to impede their growth and limit their witness in society. The situation in which this year’s theme: “Christ, the one Foundation of the Church” was developed, is marked by new possibilities for church growth.
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Depuis plus de dix ans, les Églises en Slovaquie connaissent une période de renouveau et de développement, après avoir vécu, pendant une quarantaine d’années, dans une situation politique qui, tout en leur permettant d’exister, empêchait leur épanouissement et limitait leur témoignage dans la société. Ce thème : « Le Christ, unique fondement de l’Église », a été élaboré dans un contexte caractérisé par les nouvelles possibilités de croissance s’offrant à l’Église.
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