O baptismo fora da Igreja: implicações do diálogo entre católicos e ortodoxos

The Bari document (1987) of the mixed international Commission for Catholic-Orthodox theological dialogue, which is looking into the connection between faith, the sacraments and Church unity, is a convergence document that outlines the differences of the Churches on the matter of baptism. The question of the value of baptism for the partners in this dialogue, crucial in all its implications, is an area that is open and promising in its demands for a new logic of understanding of ecclesial relations. Working on a systematic basis, dialogue around the value of baptism and its recognition in relations between the two Churches requires of them a reinvention of methods, seen in terms of ‘differentiated consensus’ and models founded on the model of ‘sister Churches’. This article seeks to contribute to this reinvention.