April 4, 2005

Reformed Christians around the world stand with their sisters and brothers in mourning the death of Pope John Paul II, leaders of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) said Monday.

Speaking on behalf of the 75 million-strong Alliance, which includes 218 churches in 107 countries, the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, WARC's president, and the Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi, general secretary, gave thanks to God for the impact the pope made as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

"He clearly valued being with people in their circumstances, sharing their experiences and struggles," the WARC leaders said in a prepared statement. "His travels to different parts of the world to encourage the faithful and sometimes challenge the forces of evil will remain a great contribution in a broken world which has needed strong voices for transformation."

While the Reformed leaders acknowledged that they did not agree with Pope John Paul II on all ethical issues, they made clear that there were major issues on which they shared conviction, including his general concern for human dignity, his opposition to the Iraq war, and his advocacy of religious freedom and economic justice.

It was under the 26-year papacy of John Paul II that two phases of the Reformed-Roman Catholic dialogue were conducted, dealing with such issues as their common understanding of church and the church's witness to the Kingdom of God.

"In terms of ecumenical gains during his papacy, we celebrate more than what was achieved in Reformed-Roman Catholic relationships. The Catholic-Lutheran agreement on central aspects of a doctrine that divided the church in the 16th century (the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, 1999) and his invitation to a reflection on how the papal ministry can be a ministry of Christian unity are only two examples of what we are thankful for," the WARC leaders said.

They praised the late pope as a "good leader for our world – one who knew and understood suffering, and who walked with those who suffer all over the world."

They also offered condolences to the Roman Catholic family. "As we thank God for his life and contributions, we pray for the Roman Catholic family through these difficult times," they said.

The full text of the statement follows:

Statement of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches

It is with a deep sense of sorrow that we have learned of the passing away of his holiness Pope John Paul II, Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church. The World Alliance of Reformed Churches stands together with the millions of Christians mourning his death.

We give thanks to God for the impact Pope John Paul II has made in his lifetime as a leader. We give thanks for a ministry in which, as a priest, bishop, and head of the Roman Catholic Church, he sought to bear witness to the gospel in the contemporary world. He clearly valued being with people in their circumstances, sharing in their experiences and struggles. His travels to different parts of the world to encourage the faithful and sometimes challenge the forces of evil will remain a great contribution in a broken world which has needed strong voices for transformation.

While we may not have agreed on every social ethical stance, the papacy of Pope John Paul II has emphasized a clear stand on some major issues which are shared by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. These include concern for human dignity in general, peace, resistance to war (for example the Iraq war), religious freedom and economic justice. We recall with thanks events such as the two days of Prayer in Assisi (held 10 years apart) that were organized to demonstrate a value for inter-religious solidarity for peace that had his personal stamp of leadership.

Under his long papacy the World Alliance of Reformed Churches has carried out two phases of the Reformed-Roman Catholic dialogues which have brought increased understanding between the Reformed and Roman Catholic families. The first series focused on "Our common understanding of the churc" (1984-1990) and the second "The church's witness to the Kingdom of God" (1997-2004). In addition, it was under his papacy that we held a trilateral consultation on Indulgences in which Reformed and Lutheran representatives engaged in discussion with Roman Catholic counterparts – a discussion which until then was not possible for centuries.

In terms of ecumenical gains during his papacy, we celebrate more than what was achieved in Reformed-Roman Catholic relationships. The Catholic-Lutheran agreement on central aspects of a doctrine that divided the church in the 16th century (the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, 1999) and his 1995 invitation to a reflection on how the papal ministry can be a ministry of Christian unity are only two examples of what we are thankful for.

As we thank God for his life and contributions, we pray for the Roman Catholic family through these difficult times.

On behalf of the leadership and member churches of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches we offer our condolences as we mourn the death of a pope who has been a good leader for our world – one who knew and understood suffering, and who walked with those who suffer all over the world.

Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick
President

Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi
General Secretary

Presbyterian News Service