A recent consultation co-organised by the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) and Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) has been held from 10th to 11th December in Washington D.C.
On the 10th, a meeting took place at the offices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the 11th at the offices of the Baptist World Alliance in Falls Church, Virginia. Catholics and Baptists joined together to explore the two themes - "Baptism, Entrance to the Church" and "Mary in the Life of the Church".
Consultation papers on each of the topics were presented by representatives from both organisations.
For the theme "Baptism: Entrance to the Church", Dr. Barry Morrison (Canadian Baptist Ministries) addressed from a Baptist perspective while Sister Susan Wood, SCL (St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota ) explained from a Catholic perspective.
Another theme "Mary in the Life of the Church" was addressed on the Catholic side by Sister Sara Butler, MSBT, who made two presentations: "The Blessed Virgin Mary, God Bearer, in the Mystery of Christ and the Church," and "Dogmas of Mary's Immaculate Conception and Glorious Assumption", and on the Baptist side by Dr. Timothy L. George (Dean, Beeson Divinity School) who spoke of "The Blessed Virgin Mary in Evangelical Perspective".
Currently, the two sides are intending to explore ways and options to continue these conversations.
This is in fact the fourth two day informal consultation co-sponsored by the BWA and the PCPCU since the first one held in 2000 in Rome, Italy. The consultation has been very successful throughout the years and has involved many European Baptists. There has also been one phase of formal international dialogue co-sponsored by the BWA and the PCPCU, 1984-1988 which published a report entitled "Summons to Witness to Christ in Today's World" (1990).