First Joint Meeting of LWF and WARC Governing Bodies Future of Ecumenical Assemblies Is of Crucial Importance for Conciliar Ecumenism in the 21st Century
CHAVANNES-DE-BOGIS, Switzerland, 20 November 2006 (LWI) - The Officers of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Executive Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), holding their meetings in the course of overlapping days, met for the first time in joint session on Saturday, 18 November 2006.
Discussions during the meeting at Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva, focused on the present status of Lutheran-Reformed relations around the world, on various areas of shared challenges and cooperation, and on the new Joint Consultative Commission between the Christian world communions (CWCs) and the World Council of Churches (WCC). The agenda also included the issue of future ecumenical assemblies, and the possible coordination of meetings of the WCC and CWCs' governing bodies.
The joint meeting was co-chaired by the presidents of the two communions, Rev. Dr Clifton Kirkpatrick, Presbyterian Church, USA, and Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The WARC Officers, including some members of the WARC Executive Committee, held their regular meeting at the John Knox International Reformed Center, Geneva, from 13 to 18 November. The 13-member LWF Executive Committee met from 18 to 20 November at Chavannes-de-Bogis.
Regarding future global assemblies, the LWF and WARC governing bodies agreed that the future of ecumenical assemblies is a matter of crucial importance for conciliar ecumenism in the 21st century. They agreed that there is an urgent need for a new type of assemblies, in which the broad, multilateral nature of the ecumenical movement is expressed more substantia lly. They said there is a need for such assemblies to be a place "where representatives of churches, CWCs and church agencies for mission and development can process a commonly developed agenda, and where CWCs that have no relationship with the WCC at present might also be represented."
The LWF and WARC representatives strongly recommended that the first such new type of ecumenical assembly be considered to take place in 2013. They also urged the WCC to prepare for a decision in principle on this matter at the next meeting of its Central Committee in 2008, and asked that their two general secretaries discuss the issue as soon as convenient with the WCC general secretary.
Both governing bodies considered that after 2010, "the LWF and WARC would no longer hold global assemblies of their own, given a satisfactory development in this area."
Commenting on the meeting's outcome, LWF President Hanson said, "We give thanks to God for this significant conversation, as together with WARC, we have strengthened our relationship with one another within the context of our shared commitment to ecumenism and to working for justice, peace and reconciliation."
WARC President Kirkpatrick said, "We celebrate the growing unity we find among Reformed and Lutheran Christians and leave this historic meeting with great hope that our organizations will be able to strengthen one another and the church ecumenical to bring justice to a our world today."
LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko described the meeting as "a concrete translation of our mutual commitment to the search for visible unity. This meeting will give energy to our constituencies."
"I thank God for this meeting which was a particularly significant event in the life of the church. I am happy that both Lutheran and Reformed representatives expressed a commitment to our common witness and action for justice and peace as it is lived out daily in many regions of the world. I hope and pray our meeting today inspires an even greater commitment to work together for life in fullness for all," noted WARC General Secretary, Rev. Dr Setri Nyomi. (621 words)
Please find the full text of the communiqué from the meeting between the WARC Officers and the LWF Executive Committee on the LWF Web site at: www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/Luth-Ref_Communique-18_Nov_2006.pdf
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(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 140 member churches in 78 countries all over the world, with a total membership of 66.2 million. 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.)
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