wfn.org | EKD Council Chairperson visits the Lutheran World Federation

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Discussions focus on continuation of ecumenical dialogue 
 
GENEVA, 1 December 1999 (lwi) - During a recent visit to the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF) in Geneva, the Chairperson of the Evangelical Church in
Germany (EKD) Praeses Manfred Kock, described the signing of the Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in Augsburg, Germany, on October
31, 1999 as an "important step" within the process of rapprochement between
the churches aiming at church communion. 
 
At a meeting with the LWF General Secretary Dr. Ishmael Noko together with
other members of the LWF cabinet on 29 November 1999, discussions centered on
the significance and consequences of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of
Justification. Praeses Kock also visited the World Council of Churches (WCC)
with headquarters at the Ecumenical center. 
 
Noko pointed out that the document issued on 11 October 1999 namely, the
"Joint Declaration of the EKD Council, the board of the Arnoldshain
conference, and the leadership of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Germany (VELKD) on the Lutheran-Catholic understanding on questions of the
Doctrine of Justification", signifies important and valuable support. 
 
The LWF General Secretary said that a further step in the dialogue with the
Roman-Catholic Church after the signing of the Joint Declaration in Augsburg
last October will be a meeting of representatives of the LWF and the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU). The meeting, which
takes place regularly and is chaired by the PCPCU President Edward Idris
Cardinal Cassidy and Dr. Noko will discuss an action plan on follow-up after
the signing. 
 
Rev. Sven Oppegaard, the LWF Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical
Affairs, presented the different ecumenical dialogues and discussions that the
LWF is involved in. The Lutheran-Reformed working group established in 1999,
as well as the Anglican-Lutheran working group, are expected to present their
results in 2002. According to Oppegaard, the way the churches define ministry
will be of great importance for the development of ecumenical relations with
the Anglicans as well as the Reformed churches. 
 
The EKD comprises 24 independent Lutheran, Reformed and United regional
churches representing more than 27 million Christians in over 18,000 legally
independent congregations in Germany. The Evangelical Church of the Union
(EKU) is included as the 25th member church. 
 
(The LWF is a global communion of 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, held every six or seven years. Between
Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council which meets annually,
and its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland.) 
 
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