EcumenicalLink

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

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. "The Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace," a recent paper from the PC(USA) theology and worship office, says that the agreement "sets off ways in which [our] walls can become porous without dissolving the boundaries that distinguish the four denomination" (page 2).

The PC(USA) understands itself to be in international dialogues through the World Council of Churches and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Additionally, the results of more bilateral dialogue are beginning to bear fruit:

• The Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America—Strengthened relationships culminated in concurrent General Assemblies in 2006.
• The Episcopal Church—an agreement that includes eucharistic hospitality is adopted at the General Assembly level in 2008.. More dialogue concerning ministry, oversight, elders is needed.

• The Korean Presbyterian Church in America—A covenant relationship adopted at the General Assembly level in 2008.

• The Moravian Church—A covenant relationship adopted at the General Assembly level in 2008.

• The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops—The current round of 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). A report of the Catholic-Reformed dialogue in the U.S., 2003-2007, is available online, and mutual recognition of baptisms was adopted at the General Assembly level in 2008.

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. There remain significant differences about the role of apocalpytic in eschatology and the doctrine of election. Their distinctives became the basis for a third set of 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), a San Francisco Theological Seminary New Testament professor, 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).

Ecumenical & Interfaith Network - PCUSA

Ecumenical & Interfaith
Network - PCUSA