November 7, 2005

VATICAN CITY – The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, president, Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the Rev. Ishmael Noko, LWF general secretary, Geneva, met here Nov. 7 with Pope Benedict XVI as a prelude to regular meetings between staff of the LWF and the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Hanson is also presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Chicago.

In a prepared statement, Hanson greeted Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of the 140 member churches of the LWF, representing Christians in 78 countries. He expressed gratitude for an audience in the first year of pope's pontificate.

"Although Lutheran and Roman Catholic ecclesiologies (church structures) contain differences, our roots in the tradition of the apostles remain foundational for our church and must also be foundational for our ecclesial relations," Hanson said.

"Since your election you have emphasized that service to the unity of the whole Christian church will be a high priority for you. We wish to express our sincere appreciation for your strongly expressed commitment in this area," he said.

"As Martin Luther stated in his 62nd thesis in 1517: ‘The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.' As Lutherans we see it as our shared responsibility as churches to do all that is possible so that the historically given and living gospel may truly fill the life and mission of our churches," Hanson said.

Hanson noted that advances the Second Vatican Council made 40 years ago paved the way for the Joint Lutheran-Roman Catholic Study Commission in 1967, and that the fourth phase of the international Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity "completed 10 years of work and is preparing a report on the topic of ‘The Apostolicity of the Church.'"

"It is also my pleasure to recognize on this occasion the achievement of the (Roman) Catholic-Lutheran dialogue in the United States, which last year completed its tenth round with a report on ‘The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures and Ministries,'" Hanson said. "This report seeks a new approach to the relations between priest and bishop through reflection on the relationships between the communities they serve: (the) parish and the diocese or regional church body," he said.

"A significant milestone of our bilateral relations was the signing by the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification six years ago in Augsburg, Germany. 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.

"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. As an expression of the gospel itself, the message of justification provides important perspectives for the church's involvement with the poor and those suffering from political oppression and abuse," Hanson said.

"At this time of history, where the human family suffers so greatly from wars of different origins, from natural catastrophes, from diseases and poverty, may we as churches be bridges of community and service, which was and remains Christ's design for his Church," Hanson said. "As Christian churches we are committed to ecumenical cooperation in the area of human rights on all continents in the years to come," he said.

"We struggle today with movements of religious fundamentalism within the churches and within the human family. Since true faith in the Triune God forbids enmity in God's name, Christian world communions have a special responsibility to promote mutual respect and understanding across the barriers of religious difference," Hanson said.

"This year is the special ‘Year dedicated to the Eucharist' in the Roman Catholic Church," he said. "Although we have historically used different forms of language to express the mystery of Christ's presence in bread and wine, Lutherans believe, with 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 in all its fullness," Hanson said.

"United with the living Christ, both in the waters of Baptism and in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, we know ourselves impelled by Christ himself toward the visible unity of his Church," he said.

Pope Benedict XVI greets Lutheran delegation

"It is with great joy that I welcome the representatives of the Lutheran World Federation on the occasion of your official visit to Rome," Pope Benedict XVI returned the greetings. "With gratitude I remember the presence of your delegation both at the funeral of the late Pope John Paul II and at the solemn inauguration of my own ministry as Bishop of Rome," he said.

"For many years the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation have enjoyed close contacts and participated in intensive ecumenical dialogue. This exchange of ideas has been most productive and promising. Indeed, one of the results of this fruitful dialogue is the Joint Declaration on Justification, which constitutes a significant milestone on our common path to full visible unity," the pope said.

"In order to build on this accomplishment, we must accept that differences remain regarding the central question of justification; these need to be addressed, together with the ways in which God's grace is communicated in and through the Church," he said.

Pope Benedict XVI noted the progress of the international Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue. "We are all aware that our fraternal dialogue is challenged not just by the need to verify the reception of these shared formulations of doctrine in our respective communions, but even more so today by a general climate of uncertainty regarding Christian truths and ethical principles which formerly went unquestioned. This common patrimony in certain cases is being undermined by changed hermeneutical approaches," he said.

"Our ecumenical path together will continue to encounter difficulties and will demand patient dialogue. I draw much encouragement, however, from the solid tradition of serious study and exchange which has characterized Catholic-Lutheran relations over the years," the pope said.

Informal Discussion between the Pope and the Lutherans

Noko opened a period of informal discussions with a plea for the pope to ask the Vatican's ambassador to Ethiopia to work with urgency for peace and the restoration of human rights within that East African nation.

The Rev.Theodor Dieter, Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg, France, and the Rev. Joachim Track, German theologian and past chairman of the LWF program committee for theology and studies, carried on a brief theological discussion with the pope in German about recent comments Pope Benedict XVI made regarding relationships between the Word of God, its witnesses and its interpretation.

During his formal remarks, the pope said, "I hope the future progress of our dialogue on these issues will not only be placed in a context of ‘institutional' questions, but will take into account the true source of all ministry in the Church."

"In fact, the mission of the Church is to witness to the truth of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Word and witness go together: the Word calls forth and gives form to the witness; the witness derives its authenticity from total fidelity to the Word, as expressed and lived in the apostolic community of faith under the guidance of the Holy Spirit," said Pope Benedict XVI.

Others in the Lutheran delegation were Karin Achtelstetter, LWF deputy general secretary; Frank Imhoff, associate director, ELCA News Service, Chicago; and the Rev. Sven Oppegaard, LWF assistant general secretary for ecumenical affairs.

The Lutheran delegation was accompanied by Bishop Brian Farrell, secretary, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU), and the Rev. Matthias T¸rk, PCPCU staff relating directly to Lutheran matters.

The Vatican's home page is at http://www.vatican.va/ and the home page of the Lutheran World Federation is at http://www.lutheranworld.org/ on the Web.

The official text of Bishop Hanson's remarks is at http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Greeting_Pope_Benedict_XVI_2005.pdf.

The official text of Pope Benedict XVI's remarks is at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2005/November/documents/hf_ben_xvi_spe_20051107_lutheran-federation_en.html.

ELCA News Service