November 5, 2005

BARI, Italy/GENEVA – Members of the Lutheran – Roman Catholic Commission on Unity gathered in Bari, Italy, 23-29 September, to discuss "The Apostolicity of the Church" in the last meeting of the current phase of the international Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue.

The dialogue, begun in 1967, is conducted under the auspices of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU). The phase now being concluded began in 1995.

Hosted this year by the PCPCU, the commission deliberated on the four main parts of its report: Apostolicity of the Church – New Testament Foundations; The Apostolic Gospel and the Church as Apostolic; Apostolic Succession and Ordained Ministry; and, Church Teaching that Remains in the Truth.

They especially identified and assessed the "elements" of apostolicity in the church and their configuration, and sought ways to clarify agreements and differences pertaining to the issues of apostolic succession, the question of defectus sacramenti ordinis (holy orders of the priesthood) and a universal teaching ministry. A special feature of the report will be the foundational historical and theological background material.

For both sides, the ecumenical movement is a historical process whereby the partners involved seek to prepare the ground for increased ecclesial rapprochement through deepening common reflection and mutual respect. The report will stand as a contribution to the sponsoring churches for further processing and reception. Publication is expected in 2006.

As this was the last meeting in the fourth phase of the dialogue, PCPCU President Walter Cardinal Kasper and LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko visited the commission and thanked its members for their indefatigable efforts during the past decade of dialogue.

The commission was co-chaired by Bishop Dr Béla Harmati, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary, and Roman Catholic Archbishop Alfons Nossol of Opole, Poland, who succeeded the then Bishop Walter Kasper in 2002.

Already published reports of the dialogue include: The Gospel and the Church (1972) The Eucharist (1978); Ways to Community (1980); The Ministry in the Church (1981); Facing Unity (1984); and Church and Justification (1994).

The theme and timing of the next phase will be considered by the regular LWF-PCPCU Joint Staff Meeting, co-chaired by the PCPCU President and LWF General Secretary.

Lutheran World Information