The anniversary of the Lutheran–Catholic dialogue is a time to express hope
(PCPCU president Cardinal Koch addresses the LWF conference of European church leaders)
Rome, Italy/Geneva, 31.10.2014.
The celebration in 2017 of 50 years of international dialogue between Roman Catholics and Lutherans is a way to openly commemorate the conflicts that began in Europe after the Reformation, and to express hope for deeper unity between the two dialogue partners. The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU), Cardinal Kurt Koch, made these suggestions when he addressed the LWF European member churches at their regional meeting in Rome from 27 to 29 October.
In a panel discussion, speaking about the celebration of 500 years of the Reformation in 2017, Koch emphasized how important it is for Catholics too to reflect on what it means to commemorate this anniversary. “In the past, for example, the date of 31 October, the day on which in 1517 Luther made his 95 theses against indulgences public, was used and perceived as anti-Catholic. By contrast, today historians tell us that in 1517 Luther should still be considered a Catholic. That is an important factor for us,” Koch said.
The PCPCU president then pointed to three fundamental elements for an ecumenical commemoration of 2017 from the point of view of the Catholic Church. First of all, this date will also mark 50 years of the journey of dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the LWF.
“The most significant expression of this dialogue was the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (signed in 1999). I hope that one day this document will be followed by further joint statements on the Church, the Eucharist, and ministry,” he said.
Secondly, for the Reformation anniversary to qualify as an ecumenical event, it must be a time when, in discussing the causes of the conflict that arose, both criticism and reconciliation are kept in mind, Koch noted. The 2017 commemoration will also be a sign of hope for deeper unity between Roman Catholics and Lutherans. “I hope that together we can testify to the society of our time about God’s presence in the world,” he added.
In the panel discussion, chaired by the bishop of Württemberg Dr. Frank O. July, vice-president of the LWF Central Western Europe region, there was an opportunity to present the journey of preparation for the commemoration of the Reformation and its ecumenical consequences in three different countries of the continent – Sweden, where Lutherans are in the majority, Poland, where Lutherans are a minority, and Germany, where there is a numerical balance between Catholics and Lutherans.
Each debate was characterized by how the document “From Conflict to Communion”, prepared by the Lutheran–Roman Catholic Commission on Unity with 2017 in mind, was received.
In Sweden, said Rev. Kristina Molander, head of the Department for Ecumenical Relations of the Church of Sweden, the reflection takes place in small ecumenical groups at the congregational level, with the specific aim of bringing the dialogue from the institutional and academic level to the members of both churches.
Dr. Iwona Baraniec of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland explained that in her country the Lutheran church has taken the lead in distributing the document “From Conflict to Communion”, including by translating it into Polish and inviting representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to ecumenical events. However, she noted, more encouragement is needed for official joint initiatives to distribute the document. As a good example, she cited the Lutheran conference held in Warsaw in November 2013, which Catholics attended; afterwards the latter requested 150 copies of the document for distribution in local congregations.
Oberkirchenrat Norbert Denecke, general secretary of the German National Committee of the LWF, presented the internet portal www.2017gemeinsam.de, created jointly by Catholics and Lutherans. The platform allows visitors to express comments, opinions, and suggestions about the document “From Conflict to Communion” and about the 2017 celebrations.
The report was prepared based on information provided by the LWF http://www.lutheranworld.org
Translated from English by LELBāL pastor Ieva Puriņa
Proofreader Mag. Theol. Milda Klampe