wfn.org | The Joint Declaration concerns entire Lutheran communion

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

LWF general secretary talks of intensive, sometimes painful debates

MEISSEN, Germany/GENEVA, 1 October 1999 (lwi) - While the Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF) and the Roman Catholic Church has been debated the most
among the LWF member churches in Germany, and for reasons well
understood, one should not lose sight of the fact that this matter
concerns the entire Lutheran communion.

The LWF General Secretary, Dr. Ishmael Noko, made these remarks when he
addressed participants in the second European Church Leaders' Conference
which took place in Meissen, Sept. 26 to 30.

"I believe we have learned a lot during the reception period of the
Joint Declaration. The debates were intense and sometimes very painful,
and it is quite clear that we hurt each other in the process. The debate
was and is still intensive in the land of the Reformation i.e. Martin
Luther's motherland," but it is a matter very dear to the worldwide LWF
member churches, the Zimbabwean theologian told the representatives of
the over 40 Lutheran churches on the continent. The signing of the Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification by the LWF and the Roman
Catholic Church will take place in Augsburg, Germany on 31 October 1999.

"We had hoped", an apt summary of how the disciples and many followers
of Jesus evaluated the events that immediately followed the crucifixion
of Jesus, in whom they had placed their hope and that of Israel, was the
theme under which Noko titled his presentation which underlined
"risk-taking and hope reborn", ecumenical achievements, the reconciling
nature of such agreements and the challenges at the threshold of a new
millenium.

It is quite clear that the Joint Declaration, unlike the regional
agreements such as the Leuenberg Agreement of 1973 the Porvoo Common
Statement signed in 1996 between the British and Irish Anglican churches
and the Nordic and Baltic Lutheran Churches, the Lutheran-Reformed
Formula of Agreement in the United States of America signed in l998, the
Called to Common Mission statement between Lutherans and Episcopalians
in the USA still awaiting final decision by the Episcopalians, does not
lead to intercommunion. But it is nonetheless a significant ecumenical
step which brings about a new ecumenical atmosphere in which open
questions and remaining doctrinal differences will be discussed in a
context of confidence and trust, the LWF general secretary as he
summarized the process leading to the formulation of the Joint
Declaration, leading up to the agreement on the joint signing.

Noko stressed that declaring the mutual condemnations from the time of
the Reformation non-applicable will certainly energize the work of the
present International Dialogue Commission in overcoming the remaining
differences.

 He pointed out that one very positive contribution of the Joint
Declaration process is that it has stimulated translation initiatives of
Lutheran confessional writings into other languages. Although this does
not in any way mean that such writings would not have been translated,
that this has happened now is due to the Joint Declaration process.

Acknowledging the difficulties that may emanate in a process such as the
Joint Declaration the LWF general secretary said that the essential
contribution of such encounters helps to bind churches together in
better reflection of their unity in Christ.

In addition, the bridges such ecumenical agreements help create also
promote reconciliation between nations and individuals in conflict. At
the dawn of the new millennium, "the church of Christ as one body, holy
in communion, catholic in pilgrimage and apostolic in proclamation is
called and sent to worship and witness," Noko said.

The general secretary observed that ecumenical agreements serve no
purpose unless they are seen from this perspective of "being in Christ"
and at the same time act as a basis for genuine ecumenical cooperation
in mission. Such processes of understanding are significant milestones
on a pilgrimage and a commitment to shared tasks, he added.

Meissen itself is associated with the pivotal ecumenical achievement-the
Meissen Agreement. In this city in March 1988, the Church of England,
the then Federation of the Evangelical Churches in the German Democratic
Republic with its member churches, and the then Evangelical Church in
the Federal Republic of Germany with its member churches, recognized
each other as churches in pertinent areas of church life short of full
communion.

In his presentation to the church leaders' meeting Noko also gave his
perception of things that had generally been hoped for but did not
happen for various reasons. Democratically elected governments did not
necessarily become custodians of the people's welfare and while there
were hopes that nations and communities would be made secure by the
strengthening of society's basic unit-the family-, social and economic
circumstances have instead created tremendous pressures on the family.

Another of Noko's concerns is that the increasing number of conflicts
worldwide with perpetrators enjoying complete impunity for their crimes
have not increased the hope for a world in which human beings would deal
with each other in a civilized way. Also not realized is the hope for
the promise of visible unity among the churches through the
international ecumenical movement. This has been marred by tensions and
disputes in the churches, thereby disrupting the body of Christ.

 But all is not lost. "We are concluding one millennium and starting
another in a hope rediscovered miraculously in Christ," Noko underlined.
He noted that as pastors and other church workers continue to faithfully
proclaim God's word, visit and care for the sick and teach the young,
the gospel message continues to give hope and encouragement to many who
have been rejected, marginalized and forgotten.

(The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a global communion of Lutheran
churches. Founded in 1947, the LWF now has 128 member churches in 70
countries representing 58 million of the world's 61.5 million Lutherans.
Its highest decision-making body is the Assembly which meets every six
or seven years. Between Assemblies the LWF is governed by a 49-member
Council which meets annually, and by its Executive Committee.)

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