Bilateral Dialogues and Conversations
Bilateral dialogues, regional and international, are an essential feature of the ecumenical movement. The LWF has participated and is currently involved in several international dialogues. It also encourages its member churches to engage in ecumenical dialogues in their own regions.
The LWF shares bilateral responsibility for all the international dialogues in which it participates, but is not responsible for the regional dialogues. Nevertheless, the latter are an important part of the ecumenical work of the Lutheran communion of churches, particularly as regional and international developments are often interlinked.
Ecumenical "dialogues" generally have in view an eventual establishment of church fellowship or communion. Ecumenical "conversations" are exploratory in nature, seeking to clarify the partners' mutual understanding of their teaching and practices.
International bilateral dialogues and conversations involving, or having involved, the LWF are the:
