Dombes Group
Encyclopedia
The Dombes
Group is an unofficial gathering of 20 Roman-Catholic and 20 Protestant theologians that has met regularly since 1937 in a small monastery
near Lyon
, France
. It was found by Paul Couturier
(1881-1953), a French priest who worked in ecumenical circles. It is not just a mere theological gathering but a "spiritual" approach to ecumenism
. Aside from the discussion of doctrinal matters, it also includes common prayer and the "call to conversion" addressed to the churches. Therefore Couturier established the Week of Prayer for Church Unity, a practice first suggested by Fr. Paul Watson, founder of Graymoor. The Group's method in dealing with a topic is:
1. the study a topic
2. the review the Scriptural and historical development
3. the identification of the areas of agreement and disagreement
4. suggestions for convergence
5. a call to conversion for each church in the areas of attitudes, teachings, and practices.
The group meets for a week in September. For many years, besides meeting at the Abbey of the Dombes, the group sometimes met at Taizé. Since 1998, the meetings have been held at the Abbey of Pradines, near to Roanne.
The "Groupe des Dombes" has published:
Towards one eucharistic faith? (1971)
For the reconciliation of ministries (1972)
The Episcopal ministry (1976)
The Holy Spirit, the Church and the Sacraments (1979)
The ministry of communion in the universal Church (1985)
For the conversion of the Churches (1991)
Mary in the plan of God and the Communion of Saints (1997 & 1998)
Dombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
Group is an unofficial gathering of 20 Roman-Catholic and 20 Protestant theologians that has met regularly since 1937 in a small monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
near Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was found by Paul Couturier
Paul Couturier
Paul Irénée Couturier was a French priest and a promoter of the concept of Christian unity. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.-Early life and career:...
(1881-1953), a French priest who worked in ecumenical circles. It is not just a mere theological gathering but a "spiritual" approach to ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
. Aside from the discussion of doctrinal matters, it also includes common prayer and the "call to conversion" addressed to the churches. Therefore Couturier established the Week of Prayer for Church Unity, a practice first suggested by Fr. Paul Watson, founder of Graymoor. The Group's method in dealing with a topic is:
1. the study a topic
2. the review the Scriptural and historical development
3. the identification of the areas of agreement and disagreement
4. suggestions for convergence
5. a call to conversion for each church in the areas of attitudes, teachings, and practices.
The group meets for a week in September. For many years, besides meeting at the Abbey of the Dombes, the group sometimes met at Taizé. Since 1998, the meetings have been held at the Abbey of Pradines, near to Roanne.
The "Groupe des Dombes" has published:
Towards one eucharistic faith? (1971)
For the reconciliation of ministries (1972)
The Episcopal ministry (1976)
The Holy Spirit, the Church and the Sacraments (1979)
The ministry of communion in the universal Church (1985)
For the conversion of the Churches (1991)
Mary in the plan of God and the Communion of Saints (1997 & 1998)