Anabaptist rescuing his pursuer

The Figel Event for Ecumenism addresses the “Healing of Memory” through lessons from Lutheran-Mennonite dialogue. There will be a Prayer Service for Christian Unity lead by the Student Board, the Figel Lectures on Ecumenism, and a full reception–on February 13 at Virginia Theological Seminary.        RSVP HERE

This year’s recipients of the WTC Ecumenism award are two accomplished scholars who contributed to the Lutheran World Federation and Mennonite World Conference dialogues, which produced the historic document Healing of Memories:  Reconciling in Christ.  The idea of healing memory, or as the dialogue promotes, “remembering rightly” has had a major impact on many ecumenical dialogues that address histories of oppression, suffering, and misunderstanding.   The topic will be:

“The Healing of Memory:”  Trauma and Truth-telling
in Lutheran-Mennonite Dialogue 

The Rev. Dr. Timothy J. Wengert is the emeritus Ministerium of Pennsylvania Professor of Reformation History and the Lutheran Confessions at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) from 1989-2013. He is the author and editor of over a dozen books, including three books on Philip Melanchthon, Christian Assembly: The Marks of the Church in a Pluralistic Age (with Gordon Lathrop) (Fortress, 2003), Priesthood, Pastors, Bishops (Fortress), Reading the Bible with Martin Luther (Baker, 2013), Harvesting Martin Luther’s Reflections on Theology, Ethics, and the Church (Fortress, 2017).  He is general editor of the Dictionary of Luther and Lutheran Traditions, a multi-volume project with Baker Press. Wengert has served as a member of the ELCA — United Methodist dialogue, of the Lutheran World Federation and Mennonite World Churches dialogue, and he is now a member of the North American Lutheran/Roman Catholic dialogue. He has co-authored with Susan Wood, A Shared Spiritual Journey, Lutherans and Catholics Traveling toward Unity (Paulist, 2016). He was awarded the Melanchthon Prize by the city of Bretten, Germany 2000 and he received an honorary doctor of divinity from Carthage College in 2010.

John D. Roth is a professor of history at Goshen College, where he also serves as director of the Mennonite Historical Library and editor of The Mennonite Quarterly Review. He has edited and authored several books, including Beliefs: Mennonite Faith and Practice and Engaging Anabaptism: Conversations with a Radical Tradition, and Choosing Against War: A Christian View.  He is a contributor to the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism’s (ISGA), Bearing Witness: Stories of Martyrdom and Costly Discipleship (Plough, 2015), and Global Anabaptist Profile: Belief and Practice in 24 Mennonite World Conference Churches (with Conrad Kanagy and Elizabeth Miller). He has authored numerous articles, including, “Forgiveness and the Healing of Memories: An Anabaptist-Mennonite Perspective.” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 42 (Fall 2007), 573-88. (ISGA, 2017). He has also written for Christianity Today about peace churches.

We are honored to have these two distinguished scholars and ecumenists join us for the evening of ecumenical prayer (by Student Board members), lectures, discussion, and full reception.   Please RSVP here by February 11, or call 202-832-2675.

For sharing or posting download Figel Event flyer 2018