wfn.org | German State President welcomes "Joint Declaration"

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

Lutheran and Catholics have taken important stride

AUGSBURG, Germany/GENEVA, 30 October 1999 (lwi) - During a ceremony
hosted at the City Hall of Augsburg in honor of the upcoming signing of
the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" between the
Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF),
representatives of church and political leadership welcomed the historic
signing scheduled for Sunday, 31 October 1999, saying it is significant
that the occasion takes place in Augsburg.

The German Federal President Johannes Rau, in a message sent through the
LWF President Bishop Christian Krause, congratulated both the LWF and
the Roman Catholic Church for the important stride they have taken
together to reach this historic moment. While he expressed his surprise
at the objection raised by various professors of theology with regard to
the confirmation of the "Joint Declaration", the German President said
the confirmation of the declaration has given a strong push to the
ecumenical movement.

In his address and welcome to the hundreds of guests who included mainly
Catholic and Lutheran church leaders, clergy and laity from various
parts of the world, political office representatives, armed forces, and
journalists, the Lord Mayor of Augsburg Dr. Peter Menacher, described
the city as an "ecumenical city". He categorized its history in
2000-"page years" through which he gave a concrete evidence of the
intricate involvement of Christian history and secular history--which
translates into the history of Augsburg itself. The city is concerned
about church matters for the support of ecumenism, and with its own
legal Peace Festival holiday which in the past years has received an
ecumenical accent, the mayor explained.

The Lord Mayor described the confirmation of the "Joint Declaration" as
a great stride forwards towards reconciliation. He said this date is
more than a signature for a very large number of Christians, "it is more
than a day of joy and hope" for people, among them the youth, who have
been involved at various levels especially in the grassroots in
preparing for the historic occasion.

Karl Freller, the State Secretary in Bavaria, welcomed the confirmation
of the "Joint Declaration" on Sunday and emphasized that Germany being a
pluralistic society upholds the rule of law, and has an obligation to
see that all the basic rights of the people including religion are
respected.

With the signing of the declaration on Sunday, the LWF and the Roman
Catholic Church , represented through its Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU), will be confirming that a consensus
in basic truths of justification has been achieved and the mutual
condemnations from the time of the Reformation some 500 years ago do not
apply to the teaching on justification as set forth in the "Joint
Declaration."

The LWF President remarked that the celebrations on Saturday which also
included worship services in the evening, are taking place on the eve of
Reformation Day (31 October). Krause, who is also the bishop of
Brunswick, while expressing great joy in anticipation of the signing on
Sunday said it is good to remember that "on this day we should turn to
God's grace."

For Krause a moment in history worth recalling is 1530, when Martin
Luther's friend Philip Melancthon wrote the Confession Augustana (CA) as
a reply towards the charges brought against the Reformation in the 404
theses of Luther's opponent Johannes Eck. But much as Melancthon was
seeking peace and reconciliation, the Emperor saw to it that the
document was rejected. The sign given by the signing of the "Joint
declaration" is that "we want to build a bridge that was broken," the
LWF president added.

Dr. Hermann von Loewenich, the outgoing Bishop of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Bavaria, described the signing of the "Joint
Declaration" on Sunday as a "colon" as opposed to "a full-stop". He said
it is significant for him that "we are bringing in a dialogue after a
harvest", especially given that the historic date is the same day on
which he retires from the office of bishop. Loewenich also paid tribute
to many who have accompanied the process of the more than 30-year
dialogue, and named his predecessor the late Bishop Johannes Hanselmann,
whom he described as one of the "fathers of the Joint Declaration." It
was the wish of the outgoing Bavarian bishop that theological
differences should not be the cause for division in the churches but
that "we can seek closer unity together."

For Dr. Viktor Josef Dammertz, the Catholic Bishop of Augsburg, the
signing of the "Joint Declaration" does not mean that the Lutheran and
Catholic churches have reached the aim of the ecumenical movement unity.
"We have reached an important step" and full of hope can embark on
further steps on the common pilgrimage of ecumenism, he added.

Bishop Dr. Karl Lehmann, the chairperson of the German Bishops'
Conference, said the occasion on Sunday is among other things a major
encouragement for ecumenical theological work. The "Joint Declaration"
which he described as a boundary stone and a milestone for posterity,
gives considerable impetus to further ecumenical work on the questions
which remain open such as in the area of sacraments, the Church and the
question of offices because the corresponding condemnations are still
largely undealt with in light of an agreed understanding.

The day, 31 October 1999, "is an indispensable and most important step
which must not halt us, but which can fill us with courage and
confidence on our path towards the unity of Church," said Lehmann. He
added that Augsburg 1999 is a major opportunity, perhaps a unique
kairos, and "Augsburg 1530 unmistakably reminds us of this."

Prof. Dr. Joachim Track, the chairperson of the LWF Program Committee
for Theology and Studies (DTS), described the "Joint Declaration" as an
experience which opens up and shapes the ecumenical future in that, for
the first time in history, a common ecumenical document has been created
through a joint process from the beginning of consultation between the
LWF member churches and the Roman Catholic Church. It also shapes the
future because it was developed in a common dialogue in which each side
gained in understanding of its own and the other's doctrine and shared
with the other in speaking about both. The concept of justification, he
added, "is a healing word which needs to be spoken, a liberating,
faith-giving, forgiveness-promising, love-revealing and hope-founding
insight of our lives and our world in and for our time."

In view of the questions that still remain such as the ministry and
sacraments as well as the teachings concerning the Church among other
issues, Prof. Track said these concerns can only be given full
consideration in further dialogue. Such dialogue will test the
understanding of the doctrine of justification as a measure and
touchstone, as the criterium which no other doctrine may contradict and
which points the entire teaching and practice of the Church toward
Christ.

The President for the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity (PCPCU) Edward Idris Cardinal Cassidy said the signing
of the "Joint Declaration" between the LWF and the Roman Catholic Church
on Sunday 31 October 1999 is a step forward which also involves other
Christians in the search for greater unity in Europe and all over the
world.

The World Council of Churches General Secretary Dr. Konrad Raiser,
addressing the guests at Augsburg City Hall, said he was delighted to be
witnessing celebrations on the eve of the signing of the "Joint
Declaration" as a Lutheran theologian (German professor) in his own
language and in "this historic place".  He added that it is very
significant that confirmation of the "Joint Declaration" takes place in
Augsburg and before the eyes of a critical audience German professors of
theology who have been critical of the "Joint Declaration".

Raiser pointed out that since the separation of the church began in
Augsburg in the 16th century, it is equally significant that the first
step in the tradition of listening to one another begins in the same
city and in Germany. He expressed hope that the spirit of Augsburg will
accompany the celebrations of the German Protestant Church (Kirchentag)
taking place in Berlin in 2003.

(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 by its Executive Committee.)

[Lutheran World Information is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). 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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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
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