Pope Francis’ recent decision on prayer and blessings for a variety of pastoral circumstances, including the blessing of persons in same gender relationships, reveals anew the importance of the teaching ministries of the church, how faithful teaching is discerned and then shared among God’s people and with the wider world. Join us for a special occasion to celebrate the findings of Round XII of US Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue. The focus of the day is on how Catholics and Lutherans engage in Faithful Teaching.

• Saturday, January 20, 2023: 10 am to 1:30 pm

• Faith Lutheran Church (801 East Camelback Rd Phoenix, Arizona, 85014)

This celebratory event will feature presentations by the co-chairs of Round XII of this Dialogue, the Rev. Dr. Lowell Almen and Bishop Denis Madden. Then will follow remarks by Lutheran and Catholic respondents along with a question-and-answer session.

The celebration will continue with a Service of the Word and Prayer, marking the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and will conclude with a festive reception when participants can informally engage in conversation with one another.

Please RSVP your intent to attend by January 12, 2023, giving your name and church affiliation, to eirinfo@elca.org.

In our bitterly divided age, many people of differing opinions refuse even to sit at the table to talk with one another. Ecumenical dialogue undertaken in a spirit of mutual respect is thus a counter-cultural witness in our time, and one that has not lost its importance for the sake of the church’s witness in the world. In short, dialogue is something to be celebrated! For nearly 60 years, Lutherans and Catholics have engaged in productive dialogue in the United States and internationally

The experience of recent decades has made it clear that while there is significant agreement on matters of faith and order among Catholics and Lutherans, it is also true that there are points of major divergence, especially when it comes to social teachings on sexuality and marriage. Thus, a driving question of Round XII of Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue in the United States, entitled Faithful Teaching, focused on a basic question: how do our churches discern, articulate, and promulgate teaching, through what processes, and by what authorities? Copies of the report, Faithful Teaching: Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue XII, will be available for purchase at the January 20 event so that you can engage this topic in greater depth.

This event is hosted by the Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and co-sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations in our Office of the Presiding Bishop. Representatives of the national expressions of each church will be present on January 20 to share in the festivities and to offer thanks to the leaders and members of this round of US Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue.

Please join us on January 20.

Join us for "Receiving Faithful Teaching," an inspiring ecumenical event on January 20, 2024, at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Arizona, from 10 am to 1:30 pm. This gathering celebrates the latest outcomes of the US Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue, marking a pivotal step in the journey toward unity and understanding between these two Christian traditions.

Reverend Lowell Almen from the ELCA and Bishop Denis Madden from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will co-chair the event, providing insightful presentations on the Round XII report. Their messages will be enriched by responses from selected panelists, offering diverse perspectives on the dialogue's findings and implications. Their book, Faithful Teaching, is available from Fortress Press.

In the spirit of ecumenism, attendees will also participate in a joint prayer service, symbolizing the shared faith and common ground between Lutherans and Catholics. The event will culminate in a festive reception, providing an opportunity for fellowship and celebration of the progress made in ecumenical relations.

This event is a collaboration between the ELCA and the USCCB Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, with gracious hosting by Faith/La Fe Lutheran Church (801 East Camelback Rd Phoenix, Arizona, 85014). It represents a concerted effort by both Lutheran and Catholic communities to come together in faith and conversation.

Everyone interested in the future of ecumenical dialogue and the fostering of unity among Christians is welcome to attend. Please remember to RSVP to eirinfo@elca.org by January 1, 2024, to secure your participation in this important and hopeful event.