The 80th meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the USA (ARC-USA) took place at the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center in Saint Louis from April 4 to 6, 2019. The two co-chairs are Bishop John Michael Botean of the Romanian Greek Catholic diocese of Canton and Bishop John Bauerschmidt of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee in Nashville.

The theme of the current round of dialogue is “Reconciliation in Scripture and Tradition.” At this meeting a number of subthemes were explored, including ecological reconciliation and reconciliation in Scripture and dogmatic communities. Taking into account these papers and other studies presented at earlier meetings, the members decided that the process of drafting an agreed statement could begin. Initial sections of the proposed agreed statement will be considered at ARC-USA’s next meeting which is to take place from December 16 to 18 in Chicago.

In view of ARC-USA’s practice of celebrating a Eucharist at each meeting in the tradition of the host, Bishop Botean presided over a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts with the kind assistance of the local Byzantine Catholic community. They provided cantors and the necessary liturgical implements. The dialogue members participated in the liturgy to the extent possible in keeping with the discipline of their own churches.