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UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS
Office of Communications
3211 Fourth Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
October 23, 2001
WASHINGTON -- The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation
continued its in-depth study of the procession of the Holy Spirit at its
61st meeting, held at Saint Paul*s College here from October 11 to 13. The
session was co-chaired by Metropolitan Maximos of the Greek Orthodox Diocese
of Pittsburgh and Archbishop Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee.
Since June 1999, when it studied the 1995 Vatican Clarification on the
filioque, the Consultation has been engaged in an in-depth examination of
the teachings of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on this difficult
question. The original version of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that
dates from the 4th century and is still used by the Orthodox states that the
Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father." The word filioque
("and from the Son") was later added to the Latin version of this
Creed used in the West, so that the phrase would read that the Holy Spirit
"proceeds from the Father and the Son." This modification appeared
in some areas of western Europe as early as the 5th century but was accepted
in Rome only in the 11th century. This change in the wording of the Creed
and the underlying variations in understanding the origins of the Holy
Spirit within the Trinity have long been considered a church-dividing issue
between the two communions.
The meeting began with a paper by Brian Daley, SJ, entitled The Fullness of
the Saving God: Cyril of Alexandria on the Holy Spirit, in which he analyzed
Cyril*s original and complex Trinitarian thought. Alexander Golitizin
responded to the paper from an Orthodox perspective. Paulist Father Ronald
Roberson presented a brief paper on the *bestowal model* of inner
Trinitarian life in the thought of Jesuit Father Edward Kilmartin, and
Nicholas Apostola commented on the insights that the Romanian theologian
Dumitru Staniloae brought to this problem. Jesuit Father John Long offered
an analysis of the methodological document issued in 1980 by the Oriental
Orthodox-Roman Catholic dialogue in the United States, Purpose, Scope and
Method of Dialogue Between the Oriental Orthodox and Roman Catholic
Churches, in order to gain perspectives concerning ways in which doctrinal
disagreements can be most effectively addressed.
Towards the end of the session Peter Galadza presented a Catholic summary
statement containing twenty points where he felt that agreement could be
expressed concerning the history and theological dimensions of the filioque
question. Susan Ashbrook Harvey then presented a parallel paper from an
Orthodox perspective in which she offered eight basic findings of the
investigation grouped under the subheadings of primacy of historical
context, theological fruits, and the primacy of primacy. The members decided
that while the main lines of a possible future common statement are
beginning to emerge, the question will need to be taken up again at the next
meeting, where it is expected that papers will be presented on Gregory of
Cyprus, Gregory Palamas, Augustine, the filioque in modern Orthodox thought,
and the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. The 62nd meeting
of the Consultation is scheduled to take place from June 3 to 5, 2002.
At its usual information-sharing session, the Consultation discussed the
visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine, the election of a new Greek Orthodox
Patriarch of Jerusalem, recent developments in the Standing Conference of
Canonical Orthodox Bishops of America (SCOBA) and possible autonomy of the
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, the spring 2001 meeting of the Orthodox
Theological Society in America, the delegation from the Ecumenical
Patriarchate at the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in Rome on June 29, the
death of Archbishop Victorin of the Romanian Archdiocese, the health of
Metropolitan Theodosius and Archbishop Peter of the Orthodox Church in
America, the visit of Pope John Paul II to Kazakstan and Armenia, the
instruction Liturgiam Authenticam and reactions to it, the eighteenth
meeting of the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops, and the
first preparatory meeting of the Second North American Conference on Faith
and Order, recently held at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend,
Indiana.
Because he will be submitting his resignation to Pope John Paul II when he
reaches the age of 75 on April 2, 2002, Archbishop Weakland will be stepping
down as Catholic Co-Chairman of the Consultation. As an expression of
gratitude for his many years of service in this capacity, Metropolitan
Maximos presented him with a Byzantine-style chalice on behalf of all the
members. Archbishop Weakland took the occasion to reflect on his years of
involvement in this dialogue. He commented that the Consultation has become
increasingly scientific and professional in its work over the years. Its
contribution to the international Catholic-Orthodox dialogue was very much
appreciated, and its work has become even more important at a time when the
future of the international dialogue is uncertain. He said that the dialogue
with the Orthodox Church is very important for Catholics, as it helps them
to appreciate more fully the depth and breadth of the Christian tradition.
The North American Catholic-Orthodox Theological Consultation is sponsored
by the Bishops* Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Canadian Conference of
Catholic Bishops on the Catholic side, and by the Standing Conference of
Canonical Orthodox Bishops of America on the Orthodox side. It was the first
official dialogue between the two churches, founded in 1965 and predating
the international dialogue by 15 years. Another body, the Joint Committee of
Orthodox and Catholic Bishops, has been meeting annually since 1981 to
discuss pastoral issues between the two churches.
In addition to the two co-chairmen, the Orthodox members of the Consultation
include Rev. Thomas FitzGerald (Secretary), Archbishop Peter of New York,
Rev. Nicholas Apostola, Prof. Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Rev. Alkiviadis Calivas,
Rev. James Dutko, Prof. John Erickson, Rev. Alexander Golitzin, Rev.
Emmanuel Gratsias, Dr. Robert Haddad, Prof. Lewis Patsavos, Rev. Paul
Schnierla, Rev. Robert Stephanopoulos, and Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos
(staff). The additional Catholic members are Rev. Brian Daley, SJ
(secretary), Msgr. Frederick McManus, Rev. George Berthold, Prof. Thomas
Bird, Rev. Peter Galadza, Rev. John Galvin, Sr. Donna Geernaert, SC, Rev.
Sidney Griffith, ST, Rev. John Long, SJ, Rev. David Petras, Prof. Robin
Darling Young, and Rev. Ronald Roberson, CSP (staff).
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01-181
CNS, RNS, Crux, Sec
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