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["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

Tribute to Pope Who Fostered Unprecedented Growth in Lutheran-Roman
Catholic Relations
LWF President Mark S. Hanson: Ecumenical Commitment Was Hallmark of
Ministry of John Paul II

CHICAGO, United States of America/GENEVA, 3 April 2005 (LWI) *
"Lutherans will always remember John Paul II as the pope who fostered
an unprecedented growth in Lutheran-Roman Catholic relations," Rev. Mark
S. Hanson, President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and
Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said in a
statement following the death of Pope John Paul II on April 2.

Hanson said the pope would go down in history for numerous reasons, but
his commitment to the ecumenical movement would be remembered by many as
the hallmark of his ministry.

Pope John II died at the age of 84 following failure of his heart and
kidneys. He died in his Vatican residence, to which he had preferred to
return after hospitalization since February this year. 

Hanson noted that healing the wounds laid bare during the 16th century
Reformation took on new meaning as the LWF and Roman Catholic Church
signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) in
1999. The LWF President expressed hope that the "Spirit of the Living
Christ will continue that work and bring about an even stronger
relationship between the two church bodies." The JDDJ expresses
agreement in basic truths pertaining to the biblical doctrine of
justification, which was a central area of contention at the time of the
Reformation.

Hanson lauded John Paul II for serving the church with great courage and
wisdom, and championing the cause of justice and peace not only for his
native Poland, but also on behalf of all creation. He noted the pope's
concern for people of every creed and race, and his love for young
people as a special example of his care for all.

"We give God thanks for the life and ministry of John Paul II, and pray
that God will strengthen the people of the Roman Catholic Church with
the promise of Christ's resurrection during this time of grief and
remembrance. We also pray that God's Holy Spirit will guide the
deliberations of the College of Cardinals as they begin the process of
selecting a new pope,"	Hanson concluded. (375 words)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 138
member churches in 77 countries all over the world, with a membership of
nearly 66 million Christians. The LWF acts on behalf of its member
churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith
relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights,
communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work.
Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the
dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material may be
freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

* * *

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