U.S. Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Encyclopedia
The Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs is the principal ecumenical and interfaith
organization of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
.
Active since the 1960s, it is firmly rooted in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council
on dialogue between religions (Nostra Aetate
) and dialogue between Christians (Unitatis Redintegratio
).
Because the United States
is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world, it has also had an impact on the global ecumenical and interfaith movement in collaborating with organizations that have members and leadership in other nations.
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
organization of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
.
Active since the 1960s, it is firmly rooted in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
on dialogue between religions (Nostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. Passed by a vote of 2,221 to 88 of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI.The first draft, entitled "Decretum de...
) and dialogue between Christians (Unitatis Redintegratio
Unitatis Redintegratio
Unitatis Redintegratio is the Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism. It was passed by a vote of 2,137 to 11 of the bishops assembled and was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 21, 1964...
).
Because the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world, it has also had an impact on the global ecumenical and interfaith movement in collaborating with organizations that have members and leadership in other nations.
Ecumenical dialogue committees
- American Baptist - Roman Catholic consultation
- Joint Working Group with the National Council of ChurchesNational Council of ChurchesThe National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member denominations, churches, conventions, and archdioceses include Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American, Evangelical, and historic peace...
- Faith and Order CommissionFaith and Order CommissionThe Faith and Order Commission is an important assembly group within the World Council of Churches which has made numerous and significant contributions to the ecumenical movement....
- Disciples of Christ - Roman Catholic dialogue
- Methodist - Catholic dialogue
- Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue
- North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological ConsultationNorth American Orthodox-Catholic Theological ConsultationThe North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation is an ecumenical standing conference that has been meeting semiannually since it was founded in 1965 under the auspices of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the...
- Anglican - Roman Catholic consultation
- Oriental OrthodoxOriental OrthodoxyOriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
- Roman Catholic consultation - Polish National CatholicPolish National Catholic ChurchThe Polish National Catholic Church is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. The PNCC is a breakaway Catholic Church in dialogue with the Catholic Church; it seeks full communion with the Holy See although it differs theologically...
- Roman Catholic dialogue
Interfaith dialogue partners
- American Jewish CommitteeAmerican Jewish CommitteeThe American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
- American Jewish CongressAmerican Jewish CongressThe American Jewish Congress describes itself as an association of Jewish Americans organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad through public policy advocacy, using diplomacy, legislation, and the courts....
- Synagogue Council of AmericaSynagogue Council of AmericaThe Synagogue Council of America was an organization of American Jewish synagogue associations, founded in 1926, including :*The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America *The Rabbinical Council of America...
- American Muslim CouncilAmerican Muslim CouncilThe American Muslim Council is an Islamic organization and registered charity in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois....
- Islamic Society of North AmericaIslamic Society of North AmericaThe Islamic Society of North America , based in Plainfield, Indiana, USA, is a Muslim umbrella group. It has been described in the media as the largest Muslim organization in North America.-History:...
- Islamic Circle of North AmericaIslamic Circle of North AmericaIslamic Circle of North America , formally chartered in 1971 but active since 1968, is an Islamic North American grassroots umbrella organization....
- Muslim American SocietyMuslim American SocietyThe Muslim American Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 that describes itself as an Islamic revival and reform movement....
- Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern CaliforniaBuddhist Churches of AmericaThe is the United States branch of the Honpa Hongan-ji sub-sect of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism. Jodo Shinshu is also popularly known as Shin Buddhism. The B.C.A. is one of several overseas kyodan belonging to the Nishi Hongwan-ji...
- Ch’an/Zen BuddhismZenZen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
on the West Coast - Interfaith Relations Commission of the National Council of ChurchesNational Council of ChurchesThe National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member denominations, churches, conventions, and archdioceses include Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American, Evangelical, and historic peace...
Chairmen
- Lawrence Shehan (1964–1965)
- John Carberry (1965–1969)
- Charles Helmsing (1969–1972)
- William Wakefield Baum (1972–1975)
- Bernard Law (1975–1978)
- Ernest L. Unterkoefler (1978–1981)
- John F. WhealonJohn F. WhealonJohn Francis Whealon was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Erie and Archbishop of Hartford .-Biography:...
(1981–1984) - William Keeler (1984–1987)
- James Francis Stafford (1987–1990)
- Rembert WeaklandRembert WeaklandRembert George Weakland was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Milwaukee from 1977 to 2002. He is the author of A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop, which explores Church reform issues, his homosexuality, and the child abuse crisis....
, O.S.B. (1990–1993) - Oscar H. Lipscomb (1993–1996)
- Alexander J. Brunett (1996–1999)
- Tod Brown (1999–2002)
- Stephen BlaireStephen BlaireStephen Edward Blaire is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fifth and current Bishop of Stockton.-Biography:...
(2002–2005) - Richard J. SklbaRichard J. SklbaRichard John Sklba is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.-Biography:...
(2005–2008) - Wilton D. GregoryWilton D. GregoryWilton Daniel Gregory is an African American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Archbishop of Atlanta, having previously served as Bishop of Belleville and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago...
(2008–present)