“The Beginning of the Christian Life and the Nature of the Church” Results of the Dialogue Between the CPCE and the EBF

“The Beginning of the Christian Life and the Nature of the Church” Results of the Dialogue between the CPCE and the EBF We present herewith the results of a dialogue which was conducted between representatives of the European Baptist Federation (EBF) and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) in the years between 2002 and 2004. These results are less than an authoritative document since our delegations were not mandated to produce any binding agreements for our communities, still less for their member churches or national unions. They are, however, more than a noncommittal paper produced by experts due to the fact that the dialogue was conducted pursuant to the wish of both organisations to reach a deepened communion and cooperation. We, the undersigning in our capacity as chairpersons of the EBF and CPCE delegations respectively, hope that the results of the dialogue may serve as a basis for the intensification of our communion at many levels. In order to underline it, we give at first a short report on the process of the dialogue and its background, single out some important issues of the final declaration, and conclude by providing some pointers on the reception of the results. 1. The Background and the Dialogue Progress After the joining of the European Methodists, a classical free church, in the Leuenberg Church Fellowship was approved in 1994 and implemented in 1997, already in 1999 and 2000 a first round of dialogue took place between Leuenberg churches and Baptists. It was occasioned by a request of the Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany (BEFG) in November 1996 addressed to the Executive Committee of the Leuenberg Church Fellowship (LCF) to launch a dialogue with the view of a possible cooperation. The request of the BEFG was made with the approval of the EBF and thus had from the outset a pan-European effect. However, both delegations, which were set up following the agreement of the LCF Executive Committee in 1998, showed a numerical dominance of German theologians. The final report of this first round of dialogues, which was adopted in February 2000,1 points out that the Baptists’ interest in the dialogue is grounded by the wish not to remain apart in an integrating Europe but to give a sign of reconciliation through a deepened communion with the Protestant churches joined together in the Leuenberg Church Fellowship. It was important to strive for an engaging cooperation to begin with, but in the longer term also to consider a membership in the Leuenberg Church Fellowship. The first round of EBF–LCF dialogues fell into line with the model of the Leuenberg Agreement by emphasising the common understanding of the gospel (section I.2) on the one hand, and by addressing very carefully the condemnations of the Reformation period (II.2). In both points convergences could be found, without reaching any concluding results though. It was agreed that the already existing agreements represented already at that point of time a basis for a closer cooperation at many a level, but further theological work had to be done on 1 Printed in: Wilhelm Hüffmeier/Christine-Ruth Müller (ed.): Versöhnte Verschiedenheit – der Auftrag der evangelischen Kirchen in Europa. Texte der 5. Vollversammlung der Leuenberger Kirchengemeinschaft in Belfast, 19. – 25. Juni 2001, Frankfurt/Main 2003, pp. 281-292. 1 the still remaining questions of disagreement. The final report of 2000 made three concrete recommendations: opening a doctrinal conversation on Baptism between the Leuenberg churches and the Baptists, enabling the Baptist participation in the Leuenberg doctrinal conversations, and accompanying the dialogue through discussions at a national level (IV). These recommendations were positively received by both sides. The EBF Council during its meeting in Riga, Latvia, in 2000 agreed that the EBF could enter into discussions with the LCF. The LCF General Assembly 2001 in Belfast agreed that the representatives of the Baptists Unions in Europe should be involved in the theological dialogue on baptism, and besides on other issues “which are perceived on either side to stand in the way of mutual church fellowship”.2 The Belfast Assembly agreed furthermore that the EBF should be invited to send its own representatives as participant observers within future programme of doctrinal conversations held by the LCF. We are pleased that since the fall of 2002 each LCF study group has already been enriched by a Baptist participant as permanent guest and the theological exchange between our communities is already being fostered this way. In December 2001 the LCF Executive Committee set up a delegation for the dialogues with the Baptists. Bishop Dr Martin Hein (Kassel, Germany), deputy member of the Executive Committee, was asked to direct the delegation. The EBF representatives to the talks were led by the EBF General Secretary, Dr Theodor Angelov (Sofia, Bulgaria). Both delegations could meet in October 2002 at a first consultation in Hamburg hosted by the Baptist Albertinen-Diakoniewerk. The agenda focused on the respective understanding of baptism and its foundations in the New Testament. The introduction into the Leuenberg Model of church fellowship was also important as it should provide an important frame for the dialogues. The second consultation took place in Hofgeismar in June 2003 at the invitation of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck. Beside the understanding of baptism, the understandings of faith and church were also examined from the viewpoints of both traditions. At the end of the consultation, both delegations were optimistic of elaborating a joint text at the next meeting. A six-member committee was entrusted with the task of text drafting, which was done at a meeting in Berlin in December 2003. At the concluding session which was held at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague from 23 to 25 January 2004, the draft submitted was examined in in-depth discussions and revised – partly considerably – in small mixed groups and plenary sessions. At the end of the meeting a text was presented which was unanimously received by all the 18 delegates present. The clear result obtained after a relatively short period of time reflects the increased confidence and the last-mentioned friendly atmosphere between both delegations. It was also a contribution of our joint prayers and listening to the Holy Scripture, which occupied an important place at every meeting. 2. Contents of our final text The EBF-CPCE dialogue does not lay the claim of delivering a complete examination of controversial theological questions or mentioning all the elements of the manifold agreement in doctrine and practice. For that it refers to the various other dialogues, especially the final texts of the worldwide Baptist-Reformed or Baptist-Lutheran dialogues (1977 and 1990 2 Hüffmeier/Müller, Versöhnte Verschiedenheit, p. 395. 2 respectively).3 It is its wish to come a further step in the core question, viz. the possibility of a church fellowship. This intention was decisive for the structure and accentuation of our text. In a first point – analogous to the Leuenberg Agreement and the Declaration on the Church Fellowship with the Methodists – the convergence in the understanding of the gospel had to be described in a concise manner. We are grateful that this could be basically done through an affirming quotation of the paragraphs concerned of the Leuenberg Agreement. The two following sections illustrate – not as an alternative, but as a supplement – the biblical foundation of our statements and the mandatory character of the gospel. The specifications on baptism in Part II of the paper represent in some measure the core of the declaration. We are aware of the fact that this part will trigger most heated discussions as it deals most clearly with the documents achieved so far. We believe, however, that right here the obstacles in the way of thinking, which often stand between Baptist and other Protestant churches, must be broken through an extension of perspectives. Part III of the paper dealt with a further theme complex in which, according to many theologians, a deep difference lies between Baptists and classical Reformation churches: ecclesiology. We became aware, however, that the supposed front-line position between a pure congregationalism of Baptists and an institutional concept of church of the CPCE churches was not so much a reality as prejudices. Together we could make statements on the nature and mission of the church, in the light of which the divergences in the organisational structure of church ministry appeared non-divisive. Also in the vision of church unity as diversity reconciled in Christ, we could discover a deep common conviction. For particular formulations in this section, we resorted to the result of the dialogue between the Lutheran Church of Norway and the Baptist Union of Norway.4 In many passages, however, we could formulate even deeper convergence. The last part of the paper was dedicated to evaluating the results of the three previous parts and suggesting consequences. It was for us a bitter realisation that the presuppositions for a full church fellowship were not given yet according to the understanding of the Leuenberg Agreement. However, steps towards it became likely and are expressly recommended. As the working language of the dialogue was English, the English version of the final report is the official one. German and French translations were made for reasons of communication among the CPCE churches. 3. Reception Both delegations have fulfilled their task by forwarding the final report to the respective governing body. The further procedure is now again in the hand of the prime movers. Both the Executive Committee of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe and the Executive Committee and Council of the European Baptist Federation have been continuously receiving the progress reports and relayed their expectations to the delegations.

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