Washington D.C., Dec 1, 2003 / 22:00 pm
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced last week that the dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Reformed (Protestant) churches in the U.S. continues with the discussion of serious theological issues.
The Seventh Round of the consultations included the United Church of Christ, the Reformed Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church (USA). Joining them for the first time were representatives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Lutheran leaders participated as observers.
The consultations began Sept. 24 at Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Louisville. Dr. Richard Mouw, resident of Fuller Theological Seminary, and Bishop Patrick Cooney of Gaylord, Michigan, co-chaired the Consultation.
According to a USCCB press release, the discussions took an in-depth look at two major "church-dividing" issues in the 16th century, which lay at the heart of the Protestant Reformation – the sacramental understanding of Eucharist and baptism.