April 17, 2003

GENEVA - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has expressed concern that although the encyclical on the Eucharist published by Pope John Paul II today acknowledges significant achievements of ecumenical dialogues involving the Roman Catholic Church, it "shows that the many years" of such discussions have not resulted in new considerations concerning the Eucharist.

In a statement today, LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko notes the encyclical's mention of significant achievements of ecumenical dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church in recent years, but criticizes the document's emphasis on "a lack of sacramental order of the ministry" in the Reformation churches, as a result of which "the full reality of the Eucharist is not maintained in these churches." The issue then, says Noko, is how bilateral dialogues involving the Roman Catholics, may indeed have an effect on the rules and regulations of eucharistic administration.

The encyclical, "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," formally addressed to Roman Catholic Christians, and published on Holy Thursday, focuses on the Eucharist and its relationship to the church. Noko however notes that large parts of the document, including core theological sections interpreting the meaning of the Eucharist, are of relevance to Lutherans.

The general secretary points out that the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), signed by representatives of the LWF and Vatican in 1999, officially expresses agreements in basic truths of the gospel. "We understand that ecclesiological and canonical factors hinder direct consequences of such agreements in the area of church practices," Noko says. But he cautions that if no consequences for institutional church relations emerge, this could be detrimental to the strength of the ecumenical movement.

Noko notes there is recognition that celebrating and sharing communion together are expressions of a high level of church fellowship that is not immediately expected in relations with the Roman Catholic Church. The question therefore, he continues, is "how on the way toward full communion relations, the intermediary pastoral arrangements in the area of the Eucharist may be ecumenically widened."

Noko calls for concerted effort "so that the issue of the sacramental life of our churches - where Christ himself is really present" may be less an area of disunity and more a divine source of the unity for which "Christ prayed and for which we all so deeply long."

The full text of the statement by the LWF General Secretary follows:

Statement of the Lutheran World Federation General Secretary,
Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko,
on the encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia

17 April 2003

This Maundy Thursday, Pope John Paul II has published the encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. It will be carefully studied also by Lutheran churches around the world, and will be substantially commented on by many in the time to come.

As earlier encyclicals of this Pope, so too the present encyclical is a strongly pastoral document. It unfolds the deep spiritual dimensions of the sacrament of the Eucharist and its place within the community of the faithful. By its very nature, the encyclical letter is addressed to Roman Catholic Christians, and its content has a specifically Roman Catholic focus. At the same time, large parts of the document, including core theological sections interpreting the spiritual meaning of the Eucharist, can also be understood by Lutherans.

This encyclical comes at a time particularly filled with anguish and divisions. There is a strong need today for a spiritual and devotional focus on the divine mystery of God's own presence in the world. Many believers are turning to God at the present time; in faith they seek contact with each other across boundaries dividing them. Christians from different traditions experience a deep longing for the strength that comes from sharing the gift of their unity with Christ also through the Eucharist.

Since the Eucharist is instituted by Christ, who offers himself in this sacrament to all who are incorporated into him through their baptism, the boundaries of the eucharistic celebration in the universal church are not identical with the boundaries of church institutions. This is recognized also by the Roman Catholic Church. In this situation, the search for the visible unity of the church is a central concern in present-day ecumenical dialogues. Through full communion agreements the visibility of the unity of the church would increase.

The encyclical mentions the significant achievements of ecumenical dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church in recent years. These achievements do indeed give hope for a future in which full fellowship in our Christian faith can be realized. At the same time the encyclical states once again the understanding that there is a lack of the sacramental order of the ministry in the churches of the Reformation, which are not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and that, as a result, the full reality of the Eucharist is not maintained in these churches. The fact that this is stated again now in this way shows that the many years of ecumenical dialogue since Vatican II, including dialogue on the Eucharist in its relationship to the institutional church, have not resulted in new considerations in this particular area on the part of the Roman Catholic magisterium. The question therefore still remains how bilateral dialogues in which the Roman Catholic Church is engaged, may indeed have an effect on the rules and regulations concerning the administration of the Eucharist.

The Lutheran-Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (1999) expresses officially agreements in basic truths of the gospel. We understand that ecclesiological and canonical factors hinder direct consequences of such agreements in the area of church practices. At the same time, if no consequences for institutional church relations emerge, this can become detrimental to the strength of the ecumenical movement. In the long run, the value of reaching doctrinal agreements can be called into question. For this reason, an indefinite status quo in this area is clearly not satisfactory, either for the Roman Catholic Church or for its ecumenical partners.

All those who follow, or are involved in, ecumenical dialogues recognize that intercommunion and concelebration are expressions of a high level of church fellowship that is not immediately expected in relations with the Roman Catholic Church. The question is how, on the way toward full communion relations, the intermediary pastoral arrangements in the area of mutual eucharistic hospitality may be ecumenically widened. This question is particularly regarded as a pressing one by church traditions such as the Lutheran, where the sacramental life is core to the understanding of the church and its unity.

Our efforts must now increase, through ecumenical dialogues as well as through prayer and common life, so that the sacramental life of our churches - where Christ himself is really present - may less and less be an area of disunity and more and more be a divine source of that unity for which Christ prayed and for which we all so deeply long.

Ishmael Noko
General Secretary

Lutheran World Information