wfn.org | No secrecy in 'Joint Declaration' process

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

It will be known soon who will sign for the LWF
Release No. 5/99

BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic 23 June 1999 (lwi) - There has been no
"secret diplomacy" in the 'Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of
Justification' process between the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and
the Roman Catholic Church, the LWF General Secretary Dr. Ishmael Noko
has said.

Noko also clarified that the "Official Common Statement" and the
"Annex"  the two documents which will be used for the signing of the
"Joint Declaration" on 31 October 1999 in Augsburg, Germany   do not in
any way alter the "Joint Declaration" itself. He added that these
documents do not need to be brought again for approval to the LWF
Executive Committee as the LWF Council affirmed the "Joint Declaration"
on 16 June 1998. On 25 June 1998, the Roman Catholic Church gave its
positive response to the same Declaration.

The LWF general secretary was responding to questions raised during a
press conference at the LWF Council meeting taking place here from 22 to
29 June. Asked why the LWF has not yet announced who in the LWF will
sign the Joint Declaration, Noko said this involves a procedure as is
normal with other processes but it would be known at the end of the
current Council meeting "who will sign" for the LWF.

(The LWF is a global communion of 124 member churches in 69 countries
representing 58 million of the world's 61,5 million Lutherans. The LWF's
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.)

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