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Joint Declaration: Milestone in Ecumenical
Developments But Not Final
Goal
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Girls dancing during
the ecumenical service celebrating the 5th
anniversary of the Joint Declaration on the
Doctrine of Justification, Johannesburg, South Africa. The JDDJ
represents one of the boldest ecumenical
developments in modern church history. |
Lutherans and Catholics Celebrate Fifth Anniversary of the Joint Declaration
"The doctrine of justification has divided us for almost 500 years, bringing great suffering to individuals and to many of the peoples of Europe. Through our missionary work we even exported our differences to other continents," Walter Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU), said in his keynote address at an ecumenical seminar, 30 October, that was part of celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Walter Cardinal
Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity, stressed:
"We have reached an important staging
post but are not yet at the final
goal." |
In light of this disunity, both Kasper and Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and second keynote speaker at the event, stressed that the achievement of the JDDJ, signed by the LWF and Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999 in Augsburg, Germany, represented one of the boldest ecumenical developments in modern church history.
The JDDJ is so far the high point of a dialogue process that began in the mid-sixties soon after the Second Vatican Council. By signing the declaration, the two dialogue partners confirm that they have reached a consensus on the basic truths regarding justification, and that the condemnations of the 16th century Reformation do not apply to the teaching presented in the JDDJ.
Kasper and Noko had traveled from Rome and Geneva respectively to South Africa to share their joy of reaching this milestone in ecumenical co-operation and to reflect on the way forward. The LWF general secretary noted that the JDDJ had already led to a more relaxed attitude at different levels of Lutheran-Catholic relationships all over the world. The PCPCU president stressed that Lutherans and Catholics have finally reached "a shared understanding of justification," and a "wise compromise" that focuses on the essential issues of faith, salvation and grace. "We have reached an important staging post but are not yet at the final goal," he said.
LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko noted that the JDDJ had already led to a more relaxed attitude at different levels of Lutheran-Catholic relationships all over the world. © LWF/H. Frankenfeld |
Both keynote speakers stressed the need to translate the doctrine of justification into the language of today. "The doctrine of justification is not very well known, even among active church members," Noko remarked in his address, "but God's divine gift to us of justice by grace has implications for our human practices of social justice."
Noko conceded that the JDDJ has not fully drawn the consequences of the agreements reached. "We must allow some time for the ripe fruits of this beautiful tree to be harvested," he said. "The most important thing is that we now really have a common expression of points of faith."
The Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa and the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference hosted the ecumenical seminar. It was attended by archbishops and bishops, principals of theological seminaries, lecturers and students of theology, and pastors from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. More...
South African Bishop Cautions 'Congregations Should Not Be Left Behind' in Reflections on Joint Declaration
(l to r) LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, Wilfrid Cardinal Napier (South Africa) and Walter Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity join worshippers during the liturgical service in Johannesburg, South Africa. © LWF/H. Frankenfeld |
Inasmuch as the issue of justification has attracted much theological reflection and other faiths have become deeply involved in the related discussions at different levels, care should be taken that congregations are not left behind in ongoing discussions. Rev. Louis Sibiya, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, made these remarks when he delivered the homily during a liturgical celebration to mark the fifth anniversary of the signing of the JDDJ in South Africa.
"The Joint Declaration is holistic and was meant to express itself in changed life patterns and attitudes, otherwise to our lay members it will only be a meeting of pastors and bishops," Sibiya told worshippers attending the October 30 ecumenical service at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg.
Wilfrid Cardinal Napier, President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC) officiated at the festive worship which began with a solemn procession of Lutheran and Roman Catholic dignitaries, including cardinals, archbishops, and bishops from both churches. They were led into the cathedral by a group of young dancing girls, dressed in white. Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF); Walter Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU); and Napier lit symbolic candles. Two choirs, the Lutheran Khutsong Church Choir from Daveyton and the St Angela Church Choir, Dobsonville, alternately accompanied the service. More...
Read More
"5th Anniversary of the Signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification"
Find out what has changed since the LWF and the Roman Catholic Church signed the JDDJ on 31 October 1999. In an August 2004 Lutheran World Information (LWI) special issue, authors from a variety of religious
backgrounds reflect on the challenges of the
doctrine of justification from their respective faith
and social contexts. Download 
Photographs from the celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of the JDDJ can be ordered at LWF-Photo Service.
