By Father James Maciejewski

Bishop William R. Cannon, head of the Untied Methodist Church in Georgia, will be in Rome on December 10 for a five-day conference with Vatican officials.

Bishops Cannon heads a three-man commission from the World Methodist Council which has been holding annual conversations with Roman Catholic leaders for six years in an attempt to understand and ultimately resolve doctrinal differences between the two churches.

The 56-year-old local prelate already sees striking similarities between Methodists and Catholics. For example, he points out that “Methodists are more similar to Roman Catholics in church government than to any other group, including the Episcopalians.”

In the manner in which bishops exercise their authority and ministers are appointed, he sees both denominations functioning in much the same way.

Open communion is expected to top the agenda for the Vatican talks beginning next week.

Bishop Cannon sees open communion as necessary “if all churches are to be united into the one body of Christ. It seems to me that unless you can take communion together, any prospect of a merger is dim because communion is the central expression of Christian fellowship.”

Explaining the Methodist view of communion, the bishop explains: “We do not believe that it is anything more than a symbol of Christ’s presence. His presence depends on the faith of the recipient.” This contrasts with the Catholic interpretation of Christ’s presence in holy communion as real, objective and substantial.

While he is working hard in the interest of Christian unification, Bishop Cannon says, “I don’t expect that unification in our lifetime.”

In the meantime, he says, “I don’t see ecumenism in terms of great mergers, but rather in terms of understanding and cooperation.”

A long-time leader in local ecumenical affairs while he was dean of Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, Bishop Cannon recalled his friendship with the late Archbishop Paul Hallinan.

“I was very close to Archbishop Hallinan and spoke at a memorial service just after his death.”