EcumenicalLink

Presbyterian ecumenists

NCC highlights the Black church and African-American history

For the February celebration of Black History Month, the National Council of Churches (NCC) has created a montage highlighting the relationship of the church and African-American history. In it are two prominent living PC(USA) ecumenists of different generations, Thelma Adair and Michael Livingston (pictured on the home page of this web site). Among the many things for which they can be remembered, Adair was the first African-American woman to moderate the General Assembly of the then-United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and served as president of Church Women United; Livingston presided over the NCC and was a long-time presenter of the business related to the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) at Presbyterian General Assemblies. Also in the NCC montage are the children of two men who had served as Presbyterian pastors, Condoleeza Rice and Paul Robeson. The present Associate Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) General Assembly heading its Department of Ecumenical and Agency Relationships is Robina Winbush (pictured above at the far right).

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) bilateral relationships

International dialogues

The PC(USA) understands itself to be in international dialogues through the World Council of Churches and, especially, through the Reformed conversations carried on by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

Lutheran-Reformed agreementx

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a full communion agreement with the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America commonly identified as the Formula of Agreement. As a recent paper, "The Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace" from the PC(USA) theology and worship office, says, the agreement "sets off ways in which [our] walls can become porous without dissolving the boundaries that distinguish the four denomination." (page 2)

Episcopal-PC(USA) agreement

An agreement that includes eucharistic hospitality was adopted by Presbyterians, through the General Assembly in 2008 and by subsequent vote of the presbyteries, and by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2009. See an Episcopal overview. More dialogue concerning ministry, oversight, elders is needed. See the PC(USA)-prepared frequently asked questions written before the agreement was approved.

Bilateral results

Additionally, the results of more bilateral dialogue are beginning to bear fruit. (Note that all bilateral ecumenical agreements require adoption by both churches before they can become determinative in the relationship.):

• Korean Presbyterian-PC(USA)

With the Korean Presbyterian Church in America—A covenant relationship was adopted by the PC(USA), through the General Assembly in 2008 and by subsequent vote of the presbyteries. See frequently asked questions.

• Moravian-PC(USA)

With the Moravian Church—A covenant relationship was adopted by Presbyterians through the General Assembly in 2008 and by subsequent vote of the presbyteries. See the "An Invitation to the Table" document. See also the PC(USA)'s frequently asked questions and a Moravian briefing sheet.

• Cumberland-PC(USA)

With the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America—Strengthened relationships culminated in concurrent General Assemblies in 2006.

Still in dialogue: Catholic-Reformed

A Catholic-Reformed dialogue has included the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church in Christ in addition to the PC(USA). Reports are available on the Catholic-Reformed dialogue in the U.S., 2003-2007, and on the dialogue on baptism. This dialogue continues to meet. Growing out of the dialogue, the formal mutual recognition of baptisms was approved by Presbyterians at the General Assembly in 2008 and by subsequent vote of the presbyteries, but it was not approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2009. See the Reformed statement in response to the bishops' action.

Churches in correspondence

The PC(USA) understands a category of relationships known as "churches in correspondence." See the list of these churches. See the PC(USA) Ecumenical Relations web pages for more information.

See actions of the 218th General Assembly (2008) elsewhere on this web site.

Seventh-day Adventists converse with Presbyterians

Conversations between the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) began in 2006. Now, after three rounds, they say they have found more than enough common ground to continue talks -- tentatively, next in 2010 -- perhaps drawing in representatives of other Reformed churches. When the two churches met in Louisville in mid-2007, their discussions showed agreement about the place of scripture as the only rule of faith and practice and on the role of law as a guide to Christian living, as well as on the Reformation teaching of salvation by grace alone. Significant differences remain about the role of apocalpytic in eschatology and the doctrine of election. Each's distinctives were the basis for talks in July 2008: the concern for social justice and divine sovereignty of Presbyterians, the emphases on health and on religious liberty of the Adventists. David Cortes-Fuentes (pictured), then teaching New Testament at San Francisco Theological Seminary, read one of the papers. According to an earlier statement, the SDA "engages in conversation . . . but is not a member of the ecumenical movement." Nonetheless, the SDA internationally is regularly at the Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions (CWC). Its other recent conversations have included a 2009 meeting with the Baptist World Alliance in which both affirmed deep concern about religious freedom.

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Ecumenical & Interfaith News Network - PCUSA

Ecumenical & Interfaith
News Network - PCUSA