October 14, 2005
By Thomas Ferguson

An historic meeting of United Methodist and Episcopal bishops — the first between the two groups — convened in Evanston, Illinois, October 3-5.

Both churches selected a group of 10-15 bishops, representing a cross-section of each communion. The purpose of the meeting was to get the two churches talking about areas of common mission and common concern. Bishop Ann Sherer, president of the United Methodist General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concern, spoke of her "deep appreciation for the opportunity to build relationships with Episcopal colleagues" and that she "looked forward to deepening this relationship."

In the United States, United Methodists and Episcopalians have been in a church-to-church dialogue since 2002. Internationally, in 1996 the two global communions produced an important theological statement, Sharing in the Apostolic Communion. Methodists and Anglicans have also been in dialogue for over fifty years in Great Britain, and entered into a 10-year covenantal relationship in 2002.

The two churches also talked about the charisms or gifts that each church would offer to one another. Bishop Suffragan Nedi Rivera of the Diocese of Olympia particularly noted the way in which the Methodist Council of Bishops demonstrated a corporate and connectional understanding of episcopacy, noting "a sense of responsibility and connection to one another." She also emphasized that the United Methodist Council of Bishops "clearly articulated how the episcopacy was connected to mission and ministry." United Methodist Bishop Gregory Palmer spoke of the opportunity for United Methodists and Episcopalians to "reclaim our common heritage" and that United Methodists could gain a "sense of the historicity of episcope."

In addition to a discussion of what gifts each church saw in the other, the group also talked about areas identified by the United Methodist-Episcopal bilateral dialogue as needing further theological attention. These included questions of sacramental theology, the historic episcopate, and hot-button issues such as human sexuality. There was a consensus that these "hot-button" issues needed further discussion, but were not necessarily church-dividing. Bishop Frank Brookhart, Episcopal co-chair of the dialogue, commented that he "found the recent official United Methodist statements on Baptism, By Water and the Spirit, and This Holy Mystery, particularly helpful" in the discussions.

The bishops' meeting was followed by the regular meeting of the United Methodist-Episcopal bilateral dialogue, hosted by Seabury-Western and Garrett Evangelical Seminary. The team worked on producing a preliminary draft of a study guide designed to summarize the work of the dialogue. This study guide will help prepare bishops and deputies to discuss a resolution on Interim Eucharistic Sharing, which the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations will be sending to the 2006 General Convention.

Episcopal News Service
Thomas Ferguson is Associate Deputy for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations for the Episcopal Church.