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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 29.10.1999 |
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| “Joint Declaration” is a ‘peace document’ |
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It deepens Christian understanding
AUGSBURG, Germany/GENEVA, 29 October 1999 (lwi) – The signatories to the historic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification recently confirmed between the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999, described it as “a peace document”; “ a sign of hope”; “a description of the road we are traveling not the end of it”; and “an agreement that deepens our understanding of one another”.
These remarks among others, were expressed by the LWF President Bishop Christian Krause, General Secretary Dr. Ishmael Noko, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) President Edward Idris Cardinal Cassidy and the PCPCU Secretary Bishop Walter Kasper, when they jointly responded to questions from among some 90 international journalists who were in Augsburg to witness the historic confirmation of the Joint Declaration. With this signing, nearly 500 years of mutual condemnations, differences of opinion and strained relations which also led to war and persecution do not apply.
During the press conference at the St. Augustana House in Augsburg, the LWF General Secretary said the Joint Declaration represents an important contribution to the establishment of a culture of peace. Citing peace initiatives by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the community of nations in the next decade, Noko described the doctrine of justification by faith as a call to all those who are baptized in Christ to take part in building community across the barriers that exist between nations, ethnic groups, gender and generations.
For the LWF President Bishop Christian Krause, who is also the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick, Germany, the confirmation of the Joint Declaration opens the way for other steps in the process of the dialogue between the Catholics and the Lutherans. It is not the end of the road but a moment to pause, shake hands and go on. “We now have a basis on which both of us (Catholics and Lutherans) can work further on other questions” raised about justification “including the mutual participation in the Eucharist as guests,” he said.
Noko also described the confirmation of the Joint Declaration as a moment of reconciliation which removes a serious obstacle to further progress towards Christian unity, and paves the way to further ecumenical dialogue on other issues between the churches of the Reformation and the Roman Catholic Church. It was his hope that the Joint Declaration will contribute to increasing contact and cooperation among Lutheran and Catholic churches at the parish level, to the progress of the worldwide ecumenical movement and the building of a culture of peace at the threshold of the third millennium.
Responding to a question on the practical implications of the Joint Declaration for the churches in the Southern hemisphere, Noko said there are various ways in which both Lutherans and Catholic churches all over the world can collaborate. He talked of joint programs with regard to reviewing Christian education curriculum in schools, in theological institutions, and the exchange of clergy and laity, which although might be taking place among some churches gains official recognition with the confirmation of the Joint Declaration.
For Cardinal Cassidy, the Joint Declaration does not claim that full agreement has been reached on all questions regarding the doctrine of justification. However, “it is an invitation for both Catholics and Lutherans to move forward together,” he said. He also described the confirmation of the declaration as “an invitation for us” to tackle the remaining questions, “deepen our understanding of one another and grow together in unity and solidarity.” The historic signing, he added, “gives us hope and courage” to face the remaining questions and “reach our goal”— unity in Christ.
According to Cardinal Cassidy, the confirmation of the Joint Declaration is a source of great joy and comfort for Pope John Paul II. The PCPCU President added that for the Catholics, the unity sought is unity in apostolic faith as opposed to uniformity. Individually, he said he felt greatly honored to be among those signing the Joint Declaration and added that this is even the more significant since he is working for Christian unity. On a light note, the Cardinal said that if on judgement day the Lord asks him what he did, if nothing else, he can say he “signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification”.
Bishop Kasper, while welcoming the historic signing said one of the next steps that should be considered is the translation of documentation on the Joint Declaration into what he called “the language of the future”. This should be done in order to help for example, the young people to understand the message and meaning of justification. He underlined that people need to feel accepted and know that they can rely on the offer of Christ for forgiveness in a language that they can understand.
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