wfn.org | Church of Norway to join Leuenberg Fellowship

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org]

Reply-to: FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org
Signing ceremony to take place next spring  
 
BERLIN, Germany/GENEVA, 29 November 1999 (lwi) - The Synod of the Church of
Norway recently decided almost unanimously to join the Leuenberg Church
Fellowship (LCF). 
 
According to a press release on 25 November from the LCF Secretariat in
Berlin, the Lutheran church said its decision was based on the "conviction
that the calling to the unity of churches in Jesus Christ will also be
realized through and in the fellowship of the signatory churches of the
Leuenberg Agreement." The Church of Norway, also a member of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF), therefore becomes the 101st member of the LCF, an
association of most of the Reformation churches in Europe and some churches in
Latin America. 
 
Leuenberg churches commit themselves to a common understanding of the Gospel
and the implementation of fellowship by overcoming doctrinal condemnations of
the Reformation time through their doctrinal consensus. Their adoption of the
Luenberg Agreement (1973) as Lutheran, Reformed and United churches as well as
the related churches of the Waldensians, Czech Brethren and Hussites is an
expression of their common understanding of the gospel. They are in full
pulpit and altar fellowship and recognize each other's ordinations and
ministries. 
 
The text of the recent Agreement translated into Norwegian will be distributed
to all the congregations of the Church of Norway. The signing ceremony will
take place in a special service next spring. With 3.8 million members, the
Lutheran church represents about 88 percent of Norway's population. 
 
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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 its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland. 
 
*       *       * 
Lutheran World Information 
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia 
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org 
http://www.lutheranworld.org/