By Staff
Marking a decade of discussion, prayer, and fellowship centering on Christian unity, the Stone-Campbell Dialogue agreed at its recent meeting to shift its emphasis to a new phase of cultivating unity through mission and service among the three religious streams that trace their origins back to Barton W. Stone and Thomas and Alexander Campbell.
The 21-person dialogue team met November 1-3 in Lexington, Kentucky. Among topics discussed were: the Great Communion Celebration of October 4, 2009; the possibility and potential of common mission/service projects as a focus for the next phase of conversation and engagement; getting youth and young adults more involved; and ways to nurture unity at a grassroots level.
The Stone-Campbell Dialogue has been meeting at least annually since November 1999 to foster unity. The three teams, representing the Christian churches/churches of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the churches of Christ, are comprised of seven members each. In previous years, discussions have centered on major themes and issues that contributed to the division of the single Stone-Campbell Movement into three streams (understandings of biblical authority, missionary agencies, and participation of women in ministry, among others).
Six years ago, the dialogue proposed marking the 200th anniversary of Thomas Campbell”s Declaration and Address by encouraging Stone-Campbell churches to hold joint Communion services together. In partnership with the Disciples of Christ Historical Society, online study and worship resources were provided, and dozens of churches across the nation and around the world participated in the celebration.
To open this year”s meeting, several dialogue members attended a Great Communion service at Crestwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
At its meeting, a session was devoted to discussing ways to move forward. Among the decisions:
“¢ At its next meeting on November 7-9, 2010 (at Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tennessee), each team will invite an additional seven people to participate whom they believe will help influence grassroots discussions that will serve to promote understanding and enthusiasm for unity.
“¢ The teams agreed to explore the potential of using existing national gatherings and events (such as National Missionary Convention, the Disciples General Assembly, or the Pepperdine Lectures) as opportunities for hospitality, education, and engagement with the other streams.
The three moderators of the national dialogue team (Doug Foster, professor at Abilene Christian University; Bob Rea, professor at Lincoln [Illinois] Christian University; and, Robert Welsh, ecumenical officer for the Disciples of Christ) stated, “We are excited about the direction that this new phase of our dialogue has taken. In moving beyond discussing divisive issues to encouraging projects of local mission as a basis for discovering our oneness in Christ, we sense a growing commitment to engaging a new generation of leadership in the Stone-Campbell tradition in claiming again the core value of Christian unity for our life and witness.”
Members of the dialogue from the Christian churches and churches of Christ, in addition to Rea, include: Paul Blowers of Johnson City, Tennessee; Karen Diefendorf of Lincoln, Illinois; John Fuller of Orlando, Florida; Wye Huxford of East Point, Georgia; James North and Mark A. Taylor, both of Cincinnati, Ohio; Fernando Soto-Dupuy of Los Angeles, California; and Guthrie Veech of St. Louis, Missouri.
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