Third meeting of the Catholic, Lutheran and Mennonite Trilateral Dialogue Commission on baptism

Elspeet, Netherlands – Representatives of the Catholic Church (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity), the Lutheran World Federation, and Mennonite World Conference met in Elspeet, the Netherlands, 9–13 February 2015, for the third meeting of the Trilateral Dialogue Commission on Baptism.

The Commission developed the general topic of the dialogue “Baptism and Incorporation into the Body of Christ, the Church” through papers on “Baptism: Communicating Grace and Faith.” Professors John Rempel and Fernando Enns (Mennonite), Rev Prof. William Henn (Catholic), and Bishop Emeritus Dr Musawenkosi Biyela (Lutheran) made major presentations.

The Commission continued also to study baptismal practices of the three Christian traditions, with special attention this year to Mennonites in a paper by Prof. Rempel and Dr Jonathan Seiling.

Each day began and ended in common prayer; morning prayers included joint reflection on biblical texts relating to baptism.

Hosted by the Mennonite World Conference, the meeting took place at Mennorode Conference Centre (Elspeet).

One evening, commission members met with leaders of the national Mennonite community to learn about the life of the Dutch Mennonite church today, including their practice of baptism in a highly secularized society. The final day, participants visited historic Mennonite sites in Amsterdam and Friesland where Menno Simons was born and first ministered.

—Mennonite World Conference release courtesy of Lutheran World Federation

Participants:

• Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga, IMC (co-chair, Colombia);
• Revd. Prof. William Henn, OFM Cap (USA/Italy);
• Revd. Prof. Luis Melo, SM (Canada);
• Sister Prof. Dr. Marie-Hélène Robert, NDA (France);

• Prof. Dr. Friederike Nüssel (co-chair, Germany);
• Bishop Emeritus Dr. Musawenkosi Biyela (South Africa);
• Prof. Dr. Theodor Dieter (France);
• Revd Dr KS Peter Li (Hong Kong, China);
• Revd. Dr. Kaisamari Hintikka (co-secretary, Finland/Switzerland).

• Prof. Dr. Alfred Neufeld (co-chair, Paraguay);
• Prof. Dr. Fernando Enns (Germany);
• Revd. Rebecca Osiro (Mennonite)
• Prof. Dr. John Rempel (Canada);
• Revd. Dr. Larry Miller (co-secretary, France);
• Dr Jonathan Seiling(Canada/Germany) as a guest researcher.