wfn.org | LWF Calls for Unity in Prayer, Strength and Guidance for Pope

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

LWF Calls for Unity in Prayer, Strength and Guidance for Pope Benedict
XVI
LWF President, General Secretary Anticipate Significant Ecumenical
Progress

GENEVA, 19 April 2005 (LWI) - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has
appealed to Christians to be united in prayer that God may bless,
strengthen and guide Pope Benedict XVI "as a heavy mantle of
responsibility is now being put upon him."

In a joint statement, LWF President Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and LWF General
Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko emphasize Lutherans' special expectation
toward the new pope "that ecumenical progress can be made on the basis
of the substantial theological agreements that have been achieved
through 40 years of international Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue -
especially with regard to justification, ministry and sacraments."

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 78, was elected pope on Tuesday afternoon,
April 19. At about 5:50 p.m., white smoke and ringing bells proclaimed
that on the second day of the conclave, the 115 cardinals assembled in
the Sistine Chapel had agreed on a successor for John Paul II. Pope John
Paul II died on the evening of April 2. 
(188 words)

The full text of the LWF statement follows:

Statement by The Lutheran World Federation - A Communion of Churches,
upon the election of Pope Benedict XVI

At the election of Pope Benedict XVI it is appropriate for Christians to
be united in prayer that God may bless, strengthen and guide him as a
heavy mantle of responsibility is now being put upon him. 

History has shown in so many ways the impact of the Roman Pontiff on the
direction of events both in church and in society. At the present time
we see especially the urgency of processes of reconciliation across
religious, ethnic and economic divides. The main contribution of the
churches in the face of this common challenge is the message of God's
free, justifying grace, with its many spiritual and social consequences.
The significance of this message was ecumenically recognized five years
ago when the Lutheran - Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine
of Justification was signed. 

By God's grace the value of the human person is immeasurable. It must
not be violated by religiously-based aggression or by abuses of economic
or military power. Human dignity must be protected from continuing
gender-based oppression. The ravages of preventable illnesses must be
curbed by social development and adequate ethical guidance. Faced with
these challenges and many others, the new pope will be expected not only
to continue the many contributions of his predecessor, but also to
provide new strategies where such are needed. 

The unity of the church, prayed for by Christ himself, is an important
goal to strive for, which will also be a major contribution to the unity
of humankind. Pope Benedict XVI will meet strong expectations in this
area as well, since the hope for Christian unity calls for significantly
new approaches. As Lutherans we expect especially that ecumenical
progress can be made on the basis of the substantial theological
agreements that have been achieved through 40 years of international
Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue - particularly with regard to
justification, ministry and sacraments. Let us pray together that God
may show us ways forward by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

As Pope Benedict XVI prepares to assume his high spiritual and temporal
responsibilities, The Lutheran World Federation - A Communion of
Churches accompanies him with the prayer that he will be given the grace
to continue the ministry of his predecessors in a process of steady
renewal, for the benefit of the church universal, and of humanity. 

Chicago and Geneva, 19 April 2005

Bishop Mark Hanson	     President	
Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko	 General Secretary

(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
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