wfn.org | LWF President Krause, Cardinal Kasper Affirm Commitment to Dialogue

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Vatican 'Irrevocably' Committed to Ecumenism

BRUNSWICK, Germany/GENEVA, 30 October 2001 (LWI) - The President of
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Bishop Dr. Christian Krause, and
the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity, Walter Cardinal Kasper, have reaffirmed their intention to
work together and to continue dialogue.

Kasper and Krause were speaking at an October 28 ecumenical worship
service in Brunswick. Krause, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Brunswick, Germany, said the churches have a common
responsibility which, in the wake of the September 11 terrorist
attacks on the USA, must not be limited only to calls for solidarity
to combat terrorism.

The Brunswick Cathedral service commemorated the signing of the Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JD) two years ago. Both
speakers expressed appreciation for the JD, signed on 31 October 1999
in Augsburg, Germany by representatives of the LWF and the Vatican.
Kasper emphasized that with this agreement, Lutherans and Roman
Catholics would now go forward hand-in-hand. Krause agreed, saying
now there could be no turning back. The agreements which had been
reached must have practical consequences for the life and teaching of
the churches.

For Kasper, the decision of the Roman Catholic Church in favor of
ecumenism is "irrevocable and irreversible." At a press conference
following the Brunswick ceremony, Kasper announced that theological
conversations would take place with the Reformed and Methodist
churches, with the Anglicans present as guests. Responding to a
question, he said that dialogue with the Orthodox churches does not
have a higher priority for the Vatican at this time.

These conversations would broaden the consensus which had been
reached with the LWF on the doctrine of justification, Kasper added.
There is no alternative to ecumenism, Kasper and Krause were equally
firm in stating.

Krause pointed out that Lutherans already invite Roman Catholics as
guests to share in the Lord's Supper, but this is not yet reciprocal.
Partaking of the Eucharist together is of great importance in the
Federal Republic of Germany, where Roman Catholics and Protestants
are equally represented. It is "a central issue living in community."

Kasper conceded that the question of the Eucharist was an urgent one
but it was closely linked to questions on the nature of the church
and a "common basis of faith." This is why the Eucharist question at
first was deferred in the conversations. Kasper suggested that the
example of the Scandinavian churches be followed, in which
worshippers of other confessions receive a blessing at the altar.

(Based on an epd - Evangelischer Pressedienst - Protestant Press
Service - report)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 133
member churches in 73 countries representing over 60.5 million of the
64.3 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
acknowledgment.]

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