In the U.S., Ecumenical Patriarchate and Lutherans discuss synodality

Meeting between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Lutheran Church. Photo: ec-patr.org

From November 12 to 14, 2024, the first preparatory meeting for the 19th Plenary Session of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church, represented by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Lutheran World Federation was held in Boston, USA, according to Ec-patr.org.

The meeting was co-chaired by Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krini (representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate) and Bishop Johann Schneider (representing the Evangelical Church of Central Germany). The primary focus of the discussion was the concept of "Synodality and Primacy", which included subtopics such as "Synodality and Primacy" and "Synodality and Participation".

The commission decided that the first meeting of the Plenary Session of the Joint Theological Commission will take place from May 19 to 25, 2025, in Larnaca, Cyprus, under the auspices of the Orthodox Church. The session will address questions of synodality and primacy with the goal of preparing a joint statement.

As previously reported, the Orthodox-Lutheran Commission had issued a statement on the Filioque.

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