The USCCB Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs engages in two dialogues with America's Orthodox leadership in the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, which includes the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America, the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia, the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church in North America, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Orthodox Church in America, the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas, the Serbian Orthodox Church North and South America, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.

 

North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation

The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation began preliminary discussions in 1965. The dialogue has a long, prosperous history, and topics have included a wide range of theological issues, from respect for life to examinations of the concepts that have historically divided the Churches. Among its accomplishments are the seminal 1999 agreed statement on Baptism and Sacramental Economy and the influential 2003 document, The Filioque: A Church Dividing Issue? Recently, in 2015, they have released a statement on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the consultation that recalls the work accomplished over the last half-century.

This consultation meets twice a year and is currently discussing baptismal ecclesiology and the role of the laity. It is co-chaired by Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Metropolis of Boston and His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark. Fr. Ronald Roberson, CSP currently staffs this dialogue for the SEIA.

Documents and News Releases Produced by the Dialogue

 

Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops

This Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops was first convened in 1981 and included seven bishops from each church. It grew out of the need for a place for bishops to discuss issues more pastoral in nature, such as marriage and the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

The dialogue meets annually and is co-chaired by Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Metropolis of Boston and His Eminence Sean Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston. Fr. Ronald Roberson, CSP currently staffs this dialogue for the SEIA.

Documents and News Releases Produced by the Dialogue

Link to our dialogue partner: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States