By Martin Hoegger
Castelgandolfo, 26 March 2025. At the congress of the Focolare Movement, four theologians from different Churches shared what dialogue means to them: dialogue of life, of the heart, of prayer, but also on doctrine. These are forms of dialogue that are not to be opposed, but to be articulated with one another.
A dialogue of life
For Anglican theologian Callan Slipper, the first thing to do is to build an authentic relationship. Dialogue fails when love is lacking. It means taking care of each other. It is a ‘dialogue of life’ that consists of being together with all our humanity. Transformed relationships open us up to truth and to better discernment, and ultimately to Jesus, the reality of realities. To find the truth, we therefore need big hearts.
In the Gospel of John, Pilate asks the question: ‘What is truth?’ Jesus replied: ‘I am the truth, the way and the life’ (John 14:6). The truth is not a formula, but a person. He wants to be among us and give us his light. We must therefore do everything possible to understand our neighbour and above all love him more deeply so that the light of Christ is manifested among us.
It is about walking with Jesus, because dialogue is never static. We grow in our understanding of him by walking together like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that the quality of the love we must have for one another is in the shape of the cross: ‘love one another, as I have loved you’ (John 13:34). Paul says the same thing when he calls on us to have among us the same feelings as Jesus (Phil. 2:5). This is the heart of ecumenism and Christianity. When we walk in this way, the Risen Lord infiltrates our midst, introducing us to his paschal mystery.
‘Receptive ecumenism’, dialogue of the heart
The Swedish theologian Nausikaa Haupt explains that ‘receptive ecumenism’ invites us to accept our vulnerabilities. An initiative of the British theologian Paul Murray, this approach asks what our tradition can receive from another and discover what needs to be healed in our own. This form of ecumenism has also been called ‘ecumenism of the heart’. It consists of putting the famous parable of the beam and the straw into practice.
This method was implemented in the latest dialogue document between the Catholic and Anglican Churches. It implies a certain level of trust and humility, because we reveal ourselves personally. These two virtues are also the condition of the ‘synodal process’ that the Catholic Church is currently undergoing, where the key words are ‘communion, participation and mission’. The Holy Spirit is the protagonist.
Dialogue and communal prayer.
Greek Orthodox theologian Augustinos Bairactaris shares an experience of prayer in a small group with Christians from different Churches, as part of the Focolari movement. An experience that left its mark on him. Praying together is the fruit of spiritual unity and stems from mutual love. This prayer leads to peace, reconciliation and unity in diversity. It made him realise that we must go beyond the historical mistakes of the past and emphasise our common identity in Christ rather than our denominational identity.
By praying together, we show that above all, we put our trust in Jesus. This shared prayer was a defining moment in the life of A. Bairactaris. He experienced Jesus Christ in our midst, who already unites us. His presence is not a metaphor, but something real, where we share each other’s suffering, but also their joy.
And doctrine in dialogue?
Karen Petersen Finch is the author of a book on ‘Grassroots Ecumenism’. An American Reformed theologian, she shares her experience of doctrinal dialogue with lay people. This dialogue allows for a better understanding of the Good News of Jesus Christ; it is based on the Bible, the confession of the Triune God and the testimony of the early Church.
She has found that lay people can understand the doctrine of their own Church in depth and engage skilfully in dialogue with that of other Churches. She also believes that the work of the experts on the unity of the Church is not finished until lay people participate in it in their local context.
On the other hand, shared witness, service and justice are wonderful, but unity is not solid if we do not also work towards agreement on doctrine, however difficult the conversation may seem or however distant doctrinal unity may seem.
Local dialogue is a work of the Holy Spirit. It deepens our faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to his Gospel. K. Petersen ends with this beautiful prayer: “I pray that the seeds planted will grow, that more will experience the joy of unity in the Holy Spirit through dialogue in their neighborhoods, strengthening them in love and witness through the crafting of a common viewpoint that is grounded in the gift of Jesus ».
Ad Notem : Martin Hoegger is a Swiss reformed theologian and writer
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First published in this link of The European Times.
