Theologians and academic scholars from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) convened to participate in the 13th National Ecumenical Dialogue. 

The meeting was held in Baltimore at St. Mary's Seminary & University last month.

“It is a privilege to be a part of the 13th round of this ELCA/USCCB dialogue with such a talented group of scholars who appreciate in such a profound way why we are meeting and demonstrate the joy of working, praying and living together as one,” Bishop Denis Madden, who is with the Archdiocese of Baltimore, told the USCCB.

Bishop Patricia Lull of the ELCA St. Paul Area Synod (Minnesota) and Bishop Denis Madden of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, representing the USCCB, cochaired the event.

Other participants who represented the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America include Rev. Dr. Katherine Shaner, Rev. Dr. Joy A. Schroeder, Rev. Dr. Justin Nickel and more. Participants who represented the USCCB include Dr. Peter Casarella, Sister Susan Wood, Dr. Shawn Colberg and Fr. David Monaco, as well as others.

Several topics and areas of consideration were discussed during the dialogue. Two of the topics were the relationship between the ordained ministry and the priesthood of the baptized, as well as the role of "synodality," or collaboration among bishops in the discernment of right teaching. The "sacramentality" of ordination and the distinction between bishops and presbyters, particularly the function of collegiality in establishing an office, and the framing of bishops' roles according to the tripartite biblical typology of prophet, priest and king (or shepherd) were also discussed.