2011 Seminar Highlights Page
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Seminar 1
Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs
Level 1 (Session I)
Fr. Leo Walsh (Catholic)
Congratulations! Your diocese, synod or presbytery has just appointed you Ecumenical/ Interreligious Officer and sent you to the National Workshop! What are you going to do now?! This seminar was a fast-paced, informative exploration of the basics that you will need to know to be effective in your new position. Topics include - Why Every Christian Should Be Involved; a Five-minute History of the Modern Ecumenical Movement; the WCC and Vatican II Watershed of the ‘60’s; The “How to” of Ecumenism; Present Theological and Practical Issues; and the basics of Interreligious Dialogue. This seminar was intended primarily for those who are just beginning their ecumenical and Interreligious ministry. |
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Seminar 2
Ecumenical Consultation on Ethical Decisions
Level 2 (Session II & III)
Br. Jeffrey Gros (Catholic)
Ethical and moral issues are challenges to ecumenical relationship. How should there be Ecumenical consultation as a church body is considering a decision on moral or ethical issues? The presenter provided a framework for approaching ethical and moral concerns from his theological, ecclesiological and ecumenical perspective
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Seminar 3
Spiritual Ecumenism
Level 2 (Session I)
Susan Muto, Ph.D (Catholic)
Spiritual Ecumenism is grounded in prayer and focused on God’s presence in our world and in the unity we share in Christ. Deeper prayer and spiritual discernment in our work together as followers of Jesus is an integral part of our common journey in mission and work to manifest the unity given in Christ. This seminar provided practical guidance in implementing and strengthening spiritual Ecumenism – and that unity which finds expression in actions which express and build up our unity in Christ and with one another. |
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Seminar 4
Harvesting the Fruits
Level 1 (Sessions I & II)
Rev. Msgr. Dr. John Radano (Catholic)
Focused on Cardinal Kasper’s Harvesting the Fruits: Basic Aspects of Christian Faith in Ecumenical Dialogue (2009) which explores the 39 reports produced, altogether, by the first four international bilateral dialogues involving the Catholic Church starting after Vatican II, and continuing until now; with the Lutheran
World Federation, the World Methodist Council, the Anglican Communion, and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Each bilateral is significant and the study of the reports of any one would show how two communions are beginning to resolve long standing differences. But this project looks across all four together, trying to harvest levels of consensus/convergence achieved regarding four
major areas: (1) fundamentals of common faith: Jesus Christ and the Trinity, (2) salvation, justification, sanctification, (3) the Church, (4) sacraments of baptism and Eucharist. Is there an emerging
shared consensus/convergence among five Christian communions on these vital themes? If so, what are the implications for our ecumenical journey?
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Seminar 5
New Fire– Intergenerational Ecumenism
Level 1 (Sessions II & III)
Jordan Blevins, NewFire Co-Moderator
Robyn Fickes, NewFire Co-Chaplain
The NewFire network continues to build momentum, and add to the depth and diversity of participation of young adults with hearts for who the church is and what the church does. In a time of life transition, NewFire brings together young adult leaders from Catholic to Pentecostal, Orthodox to Brethren. NewFire continues
to engage the world, hosting film screenings on young adult activism and race relations during Apartheid in South Africa, hosting a 3rd national gathering discussions hosted by the NCC, and sponsoring seed grants for local young adult led ecumenical events nationwide. Building bridges between young adults with their home communions, NewFire
expands our work in the Body of Christ by partnering with an ever-growing number of young adult engaged organizations. Join members of the NewFire Task Force to learn more about the spirit and content of this work, and how you and others in your communities can get involved. |
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Seminar 6
A Tale of Two Pontiffs: Ecumenical and
Interreligious
Level 3 (Sessions I & II)
Fr. Dennis McManus, Ph.D
(Catholic)
What’s the difference between recent
Popes? This seminar provided an
overview of the ecumenical and
interreligious policies of Popes John
Paul II and Benedict XVI. It will examine
the backgrounds – cultural, personal,
theological – of each Pope and their
developed thinking on how the Catholic
Church can approach the stablishment
of good relations and the construction
of dialogues with other religious
communities. Attention was given to
present conflicts and likely outcomes and
updates on current issues before the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
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Seminar 7
Global Christianity
Level 3 (Sessions II & III)
Fr. George Worgul (Catholic)
As Christian churches in the Northern
Hemisphere are declining, the churches
in the Southern Hemisphere are growing
rapidly. Pentecostals and Evangelicals
compete with established Christian
traditions. New believers live alongside
Muslim neighbors. The presenter shared his knowledge of Christianity in the global context, especially from his efforts to establish partnership in higher education in West Africa with Duquesne University.
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Seminar 8
The Church and The Holocaust
Level 3 (Sessions I & III)
Rabbi James Gibson (Reform)
Rev. Cynthia Bronson-Sweigert (TEC)
What was the churches’ role in the
Holocaust? What are we teaching our
seminarians and congregants about
the Holocaust? Should Yom Hoshoah
and Kristallnacht be commemorated by
Christians? The presenters shared
their experiences as partners in interfaith
dialogue, social justice and service.
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Seminar 9
Orthodox Spirituality
Level 2 (Sessions II & III)
Fr. Bogdan Bucur (Orthodox)
The study of apocalyptic literature, of
the Qumran Scrolls, and of later Jewish
mysticism throws new and welcome light
on the synthesis of doctrine, liturgical
practices, and ascetico-mystical theories
commonly referred to as “the spirituality
of the Christian East.” This seminar
explored specific points of continuity
and discontinuity between Second
Temple apocalypticism and Orthodox
Christian spirituality: the notion of “open
heavens” offering direct access to
heavenly mysteries; the mirroring and
interdependence between corporate
liturgical experience, experience of the
individual inner life, and the experience of
celestial realities; the central importance
given to biblical theophanies as entrypoint into both reading the Scriptures and
personal mystical experience; finally, the
language of “ascent,” “heavenly liturgy,”“glorification,” and “transformation” used to
convey claims to extraordinary experience
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