wfn.org | LWF Advocated Further Consultation with the Vatican

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

PRESS RELEASE

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification:
Lutheran World Federation Executive Committee advocates further
consultation with the Roman Catholic Church

Geneva, 16 November 1998 - The meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which met from 13-14 November in Geneva,
ended on Saturday, 14 November, with a statement concerning the further
process of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. This
statement notes a clear interest "in safeguarding that a possible joint
signature can take place only if there is a common understanding of what
is being signed".

Among other things the question was discussed whether "in light of the
responses given in June, a brief supplementary statement might be agreed
on, substantiating how the Joint Declaration might be jointly signed
without reservations".

In this connection, the Executive Committee instructed the LWF general
secretary, Ishmael Noko, to "implement further consultation, together with
the Roman Catholic Church".

Reduced LWF coordination budget for 1999

Moreover, the Executive Committee decided to reduce the Geneva
coordination budget for 1999 adopted in June by the Council by 3.39
percent from 15,186,500 Swiss Francs to 14,670,950 Swiss Francs. This
budgetary decision action is the response to lower exchange rate of the US
dollar compared to the Swiss Franc and to a decrease in interest.

Members of the LWF Executive Committee which was chaired by LWF president
Christian Krause are: Bishop George Anderson (USA), Bishop Julius Filo
(Slovak Republic), Bishop Bela Harmati (Hungary), Parmata Ishaya
(Nigeria), church president Huberto Kirchheim (Brazil), Dr. Prasanna
Kumari (India), LWF treasurer Dr. Sigrun Mogedal (Norway), Bishop Samson
Mushemba (Tanzania), Pastor Susan Nagle (USA) and Professor Dr. Joachim
Track (Germany).

STATEMENT ON THE PROCESS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON JUSTIFICATION

The LWF Executive Committee has received the report of the General
Secretary concerning the Joint Declaration and the continued efforts to
clarify a possible basis for an action of joint confirmation. The
Executive Committee recognizes a clear interest in safeguarding that a
possible joint signature can take place only if there is a common
understanding of what is being signed. The question was discussed whether,
in light of responses given in June, a brief supplementary statement might
be agreed on, substantiating how the Joint Declaration might be jointly
signed without reservations. The Executive Committee considers the
continued work on this matter as being of high importance and requests the
General Secretary to implement further consultation, together with the
Roman Catholic Church. The Executive Committee will act upon the outcome
of this further consultation. Appropriate advance information to the LWF
member churches would be given prior to any action of signing.

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of Lutheran churches.
Founded in Lund, Sweden, in 1947, the LWF now has 124 member churches in
69 countries representing over 57 million of the world's 61 million
Lutherans. The LWF headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

*       *       *
Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: jbn@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/