wfn.org | Theologians from Nordic Lutheran churches, VELKD meet in Finland

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

The office of bishop - model of unity - ecclesiology

HELSINKI, Finland/GENEVA, 4 June 1998 (lwi) - Questions of spiritual
leadership in the church - the episcopate - were the focus of a meeting
between theologians from the Nordic Evangelical Lutheran churches and the
United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD). Bishops and other
church leaders such as professors took part in the conference, held in the
Finnish capital, Helsinki, May 15-18. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) were represented by
observers.

The purpose of the event was, among other things, to come to an agreement
on the theological meaning of the office of bishop.

In the final communique, the participants expressed their "gratitude for
the present agreements". Contextual and historical differences also had
been recognized, the final report said.

The communique especially emphasized the following aspects of the
discussion:

"The basic prerequisite for a common understanding of the nature and
mission of the church is mutual recognition of its apostolic character.
According to the confessions of the Reformation, the church is the
communion of those who live and act by the apostolic gospel, which works
through word and sacrament. The church's apostolicity consists in the true
proclamation of the gospel of God in word and sacrament. Through baptism
all Christians participate in the apostolic ministry of the church and are
called to serve in proclaiming its message.

"The office which is conferred by ordination is the ministry of the gospel
continually and publicly proclaimed through word and sacrament. It is to be
distinguished from the mission of proclamation which is common to all
Christians.

"The church is the assembly of the faithful through word and sacrament. The
episcopal ministry is necessary for spiritual direction and oversight of
the church and the congregations. The episcopate exists in different shapes
and forms.

"The episcopal ministry is a further development of the one ordained
ministry. To the office of bishop belong - as one form of episcopacy, and
regardless of the episcopal functions of other bodies which provide
leadership to the church - particularly the duties of spiritual direction
and oversight, as well as public preaching of the word and representation
of the church in the society. The bishop's ministry includes responsibility
for the apostolic character of doctrine and for the unity of the church.
Unity is understood as being founded on the one body of Christ. The
different ways in which churches are organized call for mutual theological
understanding. They are then open to one another in the sense of 'unity in
diversity' or 'unity in reconciled diversity'."
(Translated from the original German text.)

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