JUST ASK THE QUESTION

Christians gathering in an Ecumenical dialogue to learn more about each other's church.

NEWS OF ECUMENICALISM AND UNITY

Zenit  (2/27/07): Concert Aims for a Note of Christian Unity

In Rome on March 29^th, a concert is being organized intending to promote Christian unity, especially between Orthodox and Catholics. The musical composition, "The Passion According to Matthew,", which will be presented in an auditorium next to the Vatican, was composed by Bishop Hilarion Alfeev of Vienna and Austria, representative of the Russian Orthodox Church of Moscow to the European Community. The concert will be presented for the first time in Moscow two days earlier in the presence of Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II.

posted by: muniz at 12:45 | link | comments |
a-news

0BE – LET ME INTRODUCE TO YOU…

Erin Miller grew up in Collinsville, IL at Meadow Heights Baptist Church.  Meadow Heights was a place that allowed her to ask the hard questions about her faith; even as a child her mom often told her she’d be working for a church someday because she was always asking those sorts of questions.  Erin denied that argument and went to college at Greenville College in Illinois to study English Education.  She quickly discovered in a required Religion class that her interests were in theology.  Erin finished her degree in English and Religion/Philosophy in 1999.  At that time, she went to work for Meadow Heights as Associate Minister of Youth.  As youth minister, Erin discovered that the church is not always the easiest place to work and that there are inherent problems in the Baptist system. 

When she decided to go to seminary at Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, Erin went through a period of very deep searching.  She was frustrated with her Baptist heritage and explored changing denominations.  After considering Methodism, Episcopalianism, and the United Church of Christ, Erin finally settled at Peachtree Baptist Church, discovering there a mentor in Alicia Walker that taught her the redemptive qualities of many Baptist churches.  Because of the Baptist polity of local church autonomy, no two Baptist churches are just alike, and Erin found the freedom to reconcile with her Baptist roots.  She joined Peachtree and did a year long internship with Alicia there.  It was at Peachtree that she began to realize that her true passions were within the walls of a Baptist church. 

Upon graduation in May 2006, she began working at Immanuel Baptist Church as Minister of Education and Spiritual Formation in Paducah, KY where she is currently serving.  As Minister of Education, Erin is responsible for all class-type settings (Sunday School for adults, children, youth, and preschool; Sunday night discipleship; Wednesday night children’s programs; book studies; and other programs), missions, family events, and outreach to visitors and new members.  She has a deep love for the church and a desire to help the church discover her roots in the models of Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles.  An advocate for the church’s responsibility to care for “the least of these” in the world, Erin encourages conversation and action around social issues such as the crisis in Darfur, the civil war in Uganda, the plight of the hungry, the homeless, and the neglected of society. 

            In addition to vocational ministry, Erin enjoys being outdoors, good tea, good books, and playing with her black lab, Shiloh.  She is an avid Cardinal baseball fan, and rarely misses a game!  She is delighted to be a part of this conversation and looks forward to engaging in dialogue across denominational lines.

posted by: muniz at 08:45 | link | comments |
t0-introduction, c-baptist-erin

 

1O – CAN WE TALK?

Question 1: What is your church’s view on dialogues with other churches or communities of different doctrinal beliefs?

To view previous questions and responses simply scroll down to archives and click on the topic or church of your choice.

Greek Orthodox (AJS) writes:

The Orthodox Church has been involved in the international ecumenical movement almost since the time of its inception. This has meant a broad involvement with Protestant Churches through the World Council of Churches although the Orthodox have often argued that the organization places more emphasis on social issues than theological ones. Still, there has been some Orthodox influence on the organization, especially notable in the so-called Lima Document on baptism, eucharist, and ministry.

Official dialogue with Catholics on the local level started in the 1960’s in the United States due to the encounter of both Churches through the increase in “mixed marriages”. This ultimately led to international dialogue between the two Churches in the early 1980’s. This dialogue has had its ups and downs but a number of meetings have produced documents that demonstrate what the two Churches hold in common. At present, the international dialogue is on hold but expects to be re-activated in the near future.

Despite participation in ecumenical dialogue, the Orthodox Church does not practice “open communion.” Since it feels that the concelebration and reception of the eucharist is an expression of doctrinal unity, “full communion” in the eucharist can occur only after doctrinal unity has been achieved.

Dialogue with Jews and Muslims has also occurred but on a far more limited basis.

posted by: muniz at 21:28 | link | comments |
t1-dialogue, c-orthodox