November 7, 2005

GENEVA – The president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Bishop Mark S. Hanson has commended Pope Benedict XVI for his personal involvement in the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.

"We are aware of how you yourself, with the support of Pope John Paul II, actively contributed to the fulfillment of this ecumenical landmark," Hanson said in his greeting during an audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) led an LWF delegation in the Federation's first private audience with the current pope.

Other members of the LWF delegation included General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko; LWF Executive Committee member, Rev. Dr Joachim Track (Germany), also chairperson of the Program Committee for Ecumenical Affairs; LWF Deputy General Secretary, Ms Karin Achtelstetter; LWF Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs Rev. Sven Oppegaard; Rev. Dr Theodor Dieter (Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg, France); and Mr Frank Imhoff (ELCA Department for Communication).

The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) was signed by the Roman Catholic Church and the LWF in Augsburg, Germany, in 1999. It is regarded as a significant milestone in Lutheran-Roman Catholic bilateral relations.

Ethics and Social Justice

Hanson drew attention to various follow-up processes of the JDDJ, particularly preparations by the World Methodist Council to formally affirm support of the JDDJ in July 2006. "This development gives us great joy and shows to all that the biblical doctrine of justification is not seen as belonging to Catholics and Lutherans alone, but belongs to the whole church, " the LWF president noted.

"There should be no doubt that Lutherans and Roman Catholics, together with others, also see issues of ethics and social justice in the light of the doctrine of justification," Hanson continued. He drew special attention to the message of justification as providing "important perspectives for the church's involvement with the poor and those suffering from political oppression and abuse." In this context, he underlined the LWF's commitment "to ecumenical cooperation in the area of human rights."

Looking back at the current fourth phase of the international Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue, Hanson drew attention to the work on a final report on "Apostolicity of the Church," concluding the ten-year dialogue of the Lutheran * Roman Catholic Commission on Unity. "Although this report will undoubtedly show the differences between traditions in the area of its topic, it will certainly also show the richness of shared apostolic faith, which we treasure together," Hanson stressed.

With reference to 2005 as the special year dedicated to the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church, Hanson said that although Lutherans have historically used different forms of language to express the mystery of Christ's presence in bread and wine, Lutherans believe, with Roman Catholics, that Christ himself is present at the Holy Eucharist in the consecrated bread and wine "truly and in substance" * and that the baptized believer receives the gift of salvation.

During the private audience, Noko made reference to the JDDJ as a "living letter," recalling that the Official Common Statement to the Joint Declaration challenges both churches to make the doctrine of justification understandable to contemporary men and women.

He also urged the pope to use his pastoral office to address issues of human rights in a world which is marked by so many violations.

The pope described the JDDJ as an important achievement, and underlined the need to accept the remaining differences regarding the central question of justification, and to find a common language to address these issues together.

The greetings of LWF President Mark S. Hanson and Pope Benedict XVI during the private audience can be found at:

http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Greeting_Pope_Benedict_XVI_2005.pdf and http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2005/November/documents/hf_ben_xvi_spe_20051107_lutheran-federation_en.html.

Lutheran World Information