Pope encourages ecumenical study of St. Augustine

(September 4, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI has urged a 3-day symposium that has brought together Orthodox and Catholic theologians to study St. Augustine to discover points of convergence between the two traditions. The Pope made the invitation in a letter sent on Thursday to Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. The 11th Inter-Christian Symposium, which began in Rome on Thursday, has as its theme, "St. Augustine in the Western and Eastern Tradition." The Catholic-Orthodox symposia that aim at promoting unity, have taken place alternatively in locations with Catholic or Orthodox majorities since 1992. Pope Benedict noted that while St. Augustine is of fundamental importance for the theology of the Latin tradition, his thought has revealed itself to be rather problematic in Orthodox theology. Hence in order to know the doctrinal and spiritual riches that make up the patrimony of the Christian East and West, the Pope said it is indispensable not only to appreciate them, but also to promote better reciprocal appreciation among all Christians. He said that doctrinal and spiritual convergences are useful in building the 'City of God', where his children can live in peace and in fraternal charity, based on the truth of the common faith.