wfn.org | Noko (LWF): Discussion regarding a Spokesperson for all Christians

[franki@elca.org]

(There is an ongoing discussion among Protestant churches in Germany about
whether or not the Pope could be a spokesperson for all Christian churches.
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has issued a statement explaining the
federation's position on this matter.)

A Statement by Dr. Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), about the ongoing Discussion regarding a Spokesperson for
all Christians

When Pope John Paul II in his encyclical "Ut Unum Sint" (1995) invited other
Christians to a broader discussion of the papal ministry, the LWF welcomed
that initiative. We should not retract from this discussion now, but
contribute to it critically and constructively.

For the Lutheran reformers the fundamental requirement of the papacy was
that it promote the free flow of the gospel in the church and in the world.
With that expectation still in place, Lutherans can certainly look to the
Pope, being the head of the Roman Catholic Church, as one of the spiritual
leaders in the world today.

We cannot, however, dissociate the spiritual role of the Pope from his place
in the institutional church which he leads, and by which his ministry is
primarily defined. He is the Bishop of Rome and as such enjoys primacy in
the Roman Catholic episcopate.

In any discussion of the role of the Pope or another Christian leader as a
spokesperson for all Christians, we must carefully define and discuss what
such a role would mean. We must be clear about the purpose we see for a
global spokesperson for all Christians. Does globalization really call for a
global spokesperson for all Christians?

Another important aspect is the extreme complexity of the worldwide
Christian churches. We must make sure at the outset that we do not as
Lutherans and Roman Catholics consider the role of a global spokesperson for
all Christians from a perspective that is too Western.

A fundamental question that must be considered in addition in the time ahead
is the accountability of a global Christian spokesperson. What would be the
accepted platform from which he or she would speak? How would his or her
accountability toward all Christians be defined?

Raising such questions are not meant as a way to stifle discussion, but
rather to indicate some fundamental issues related to the perspectives now
being raised. We must probe deeply into them and test them. The ecumenical
movement requires that of us.

Geneva, 8 March 2001

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 131 member
churches in 72 countries representing over 60.2 million of the nearly 64
million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches
in areas of common interest such as ecumenical 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 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 acknowledgement.]

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