John Paul II officially launched the second phase of
ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and ancient Eastern Churches that
separated from Rome in 451.
These Churches rejected the conclusions of the Council of Chalcedon, which
professed the divine and human natures of Jesus.
The ecumenical dialogue that followed the Second Vatican Council has clarified
misunderstandings, seeing that the differences arose more from
"terminology" and "culture" adopted "by the various
theological schools to express the same argument."
This much was acknowledged in the 1984 joint declaration signed by John Paul II
and the head of the Syro-Orthodox Church, Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
of Antioch.
Present at today's audience in the Vatican were representatives of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, the Orthodox Coptic Patriarchate of Egypt, the Syro-Orthodox
Patriarchate of Antioch, the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia, the Orthodox Church
of Eritrea, and the Syrian Orthodox Church of Malankar.
"Substantial ecumenical progress has already been made between the
Catholic Church and the different Eastern Orthodox Churches," the Holy
Father said, when he received the members of a dialogue committee composed of
Catholic representatives and members of those Churches.
"Essential clarifications have been reached with regard to traditional
controversies about Christology, and this has enabled us to profess together
the faith we hold in common," he added.
"This progress is most encouraging, since it shows us that the path
followed is the right one and that we can reasonably hope to discover together
the solution to other disputed questions," the Pope added.
"May your efforts to establish a Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue
prove a major step forward toward full communion in truth and charity," he
said.
Most of the Churches' representatives came from Middle East countries or
surrounding areas. The Holy Father invited them to "pray together that
this region will be preserved from the threat of war and further
violence."
"May our ecumenical endeavors always be directed to the building up of a
'civilization of love,' founded on justice, reconciliation and peace," he
concluded.
The dialogue committee began its meeting Monday at the headquarters of the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
The meeting, which ends Wednesday, is studying the topics and methods of the
second phase of dialogue. To date, theological agreements were reached
separately between each one of the Churches and the Catholic Church. The second
phase will foster joint dialogue among all the Churches in a single commission.