What Does It Mean to "Do This"?

This year's Pro Ecclesia Annual Conference for Clergy and Laity sponsored by the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, to be held June 11-13, 2012 on the campus of Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, will focus on the theme "What Does It Mean to 'Do This'?" I'll be unable to attend, but the theme and speakers should be of interest to many readers of Ecclesial Theology. A substantially discount registration fee is available for students; full registration information appears on the conference page on the CCET site. An explanation of the conference theme and a list of speakers from the conference page follows below:

One of the clearest commands of Christ came at the Last Supper, when he said: “Do this in remembrance of me.” But just what are we to do, how are we to do it, and what does it mean? The last century saw deep changes in the eucharistic practices of many churches and a perceptible narrowing of differences among many of the church in both the liturgy and the theology of the Supper. Where do we stand today? The 2012 Pro Ecclesia conference will take up such questions, with particular attention to the ecumenical and pastoral implications of the Eucharist. Typical themes to be addressed will be:

• Where are we today theologically on the two most central divisive issues in eucharistic theology – sacrifice and presence?
• How should preaching relate to the Eucharist in a way that fosters it as the sacrament of unity?
• Can we find new ways to think about forms of communion short of full fellowship that avert the stale deadlock of recent years?
• Why have differences over ordained ministry proved such an obstacle to fuller eucharistic fellowship?
• Have ecumenical discussions of the Supper made progress since BEM 30 years ago?
• Where have the liturgical changes of the last century left the Eucharist?

The Speakers:

• Peter Bouteneff, St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary
• George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary
• Bruce Marshall, Southern Methodist University
• Martha Moore-Keish, Columbia Theological Seminary
• Francesca Aran Murphy, University of Notre Dame
• Frank Senn, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Evanston, IL
• Telford Work, Westmont College
• Banquet Speaker: R. R. Reno