{"id":7895,"date":"2021-12-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/giving-and-receiving-within-the-body-of-christ\/"},"modified":"2024-12-09T17:15:42","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T17:15:42","slug":"giving-and-receiving-within-body-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/giving-and-receiving-within-body-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving and Receiving within the Body of Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following a 5-year conversation with theologians from the Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions, the Faith and Life Committee invited the members of Mennonite World Conference to consider our practices of Anabaptist together at Renewal 2027 in two webinars entitled \u201cBelieve and Be Baptized: A Global Conversation on Baptism.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The second webinar examined the report: Baptism and Incorporation into the Body of Christ, the Church \u2014 Lutheran-Mennonite-Roman Catholic Trilateral Conversations 2012\u20132017. <\/em><\/p>\n

Thomas R Yoder Neufeld interviewed Larry Miller, co-secretary of the Mennonite delegation in the trilateral conversations.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Learning from the Mennonite-Catholic-Lutheran Conversations on Baptism<\/h2>\n

Tom Yoder Neufeld<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Can you tell us how these conversations came about?<\/span><\/p>\n

Larry Miller<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The trilateral conversation on baptism grew out of two previous Mennonite World Conference conversations, one with the Catholic Church (1998-2003) and the other with the Lutheran World Federation (2005-2008). In each case, it was the first official conversation at the global level between these churches and the Anabaptist-Mennonite family of faith since the conflicts of the 16th century \u2013 conflicts not least over the meaning and practice of baptism.<\/p>\n

The goal of each of those conversations was better understanding of and better relationships with one another.<\/p>\n

A foundational point of divergence highlighted in both conversations was baptism.<\/p>\n

The question of focused conversation on baptism arose with these two churches at about the same time (2009-2010). MWC leadership agreed that such conversation was important, but thought that we could not undertake simultaneously two global conversations on baptism. So, we proposed a trilateral dialogue.<\/p>\n

Tom Yoder Neufeld<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Were there surprises, both positive and negative?<\/span><\/p>\n

Larry Miller<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, there were some of each of those for the MWC delegation.<\/p>\n

We were surprised to hear the Catholic delegation report that some Catholic theologians refer to adult baptism as \u201cnormative\u201d in Catholic doctrinal and liturgical history since, as they said, \u201cit is the form that fully expresses the meaning of baptism\u201d and that Catholic \u201chistory clearly shows that it is the rite for adults that is the model of the baptismal process\u201d (Report, \u00a779 and footnote 97).<\/p>\n

We were surprised by the ready theological agreement on the different elements included on the path of incorporation into the church and life in the body of Christ: the loving initiative of God\u2019s grace, the human response of faith and commitment, times of catechism and spiritual formation, a life-long process of growing in the faith and discipleship.<\/p>\n

We were surprised by how strongly the three delegations agreed that baptism is for discipleship. Baptism into discipleship is not only a Mennonite thing!<\/p>\n

For me, this is one of the most important fruits of the conversation. \u201cAll three of our churches see repentance, faith and committed discipleship as necessarily related to Christian life within the body of Christ, the Church, which has as one of its essential starting points the celebration and reception of baptism\u201d (Report, \u00a779).<\/p>\n

I was surprised and humbled to feel that it seemed more difficult for us Mennonites to confess the tension between our ideal theology of baptism and the way we too often don\u2019t live out the implications of our baptism than it seemed to be for the Catholic and the Lutheran delegations to confess the gap between their theology and, sometimes, their practice.<\/p>\n

I was surprised and embarrassed to learn, as I listened to the Catholic and Lutheran delegations, how little I have considered the deep pain some Catholics and Lutherans feel when we automatically reject the validity of their baptisms, especially when they opened the path of the baptized to repentance, confession of faith, and a life of discipleship.<\/p>\n

Tom Yoder Neufeld<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Were there obstacles that emerged during your interactions?<\/span><\/p>\n

Larry Miller<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

How were we to present contemporary Anabaptist-Mennonite understandings and practices given the diversity of understandings and practices in our worldwide family of faith today?<\/p>\n

As general secretary of MWC for a couple of decades, I was deeply aware of this diversity. Even between the several different churches from which delegation members came, there was significant diversity. This is why in the \u201cConcluding Mennonite Reflections\u201d of the report (\u00a7116-133) the delegation speaks only for itself: not for Mennonite World Conference, not for the wider Anabaptist-Mennonite family of faith.<\/p>\n

After five years of meetings, each one with multiple presentations and intense debate, how do we write a final report that can only include what each delegation considers essential?<\/p>\n

Tom Yoder Neufeld<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What were the greatest gifts received? Did you come away grateful for what God has graced us with, in our own communion in relation to baptism?<\/span><\/p>\n

Larry Miller<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I did come away grateful for what God has given to the church through the Anabaptist-Mennonite family of faith, thanks to our understandings and practices of baptism. In these conversations and already in the preparation for them, I saw more clearly the significance of this gift not only for ourselves, but for the entire Christian church.<\/p>\n

The conversations made clear how significantly the situation has changed since the 16th century.<\/p>\n

Then, believers baptism as practiced by Anabaptists provoked hostility and sometimes persecution by Lutheran and Catholic authorities.<\/p>\n

Now, those churches officially recognize and respect Anabaptist-Mennonite baptism of persons not previously baptized. I think that this transformation is a sign that God\u2019s grace has worked through us in spite of our weaknesses and failures.<\/p>\n

What are the greatest gifts offered to us in this dialogue?<\/p>\n

The \u201cchallenges\u201d we received from the other churches (cf. paragraphs 124-130), especially:<\/p>\n