December 20, 2005

GENEVA – A representative of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) will be invited as an observer to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) study processes on the authority of the Bible and biblical hermeneutics. This was agreed at the December 8-10 meeting between representatives of both Lutheran world bodies, hosted by the LWF in Geneva, Switzerland.

The decision to invite an ILC observer to such study processes follows an agreement of the 2003 joint meeting that both church bodies invite observers to each other's official meetings and consultations. At this month's meeting, the challenges related to biblical hermeneutics concerning such matters as anthropology, human sexuality and homosexuality were discussed. Currently a study process conducted by the LWF Department for Theology and Studies, probes, among other issues, how meaningful communication can occur within a communion of churches despite the different ways of understanding the Bible.

Representatives at this year's meeting were informed about preparations for the 2017 events regarding the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's nailing of 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, effectively starting the Lutheran Reformation and its wider ramifications. The need was expressed for information sharing between the ILC and LWF and their respective member churches on planning these events.

Co-chairperson, LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko responded to questions about the handling of the issue of homosexuality in the LWF and its member churches. Other concerns included relations between the LWF and World Council of Churches, and the September 2005 Council decision to hold the LWF Eleventh Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany in 2010.

Co-chairperson, ILC Executive Secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel H. Nafzger, drew attention to the ILC's development from an ad hoc confessional Lutheran gathering into an International Lutheran Conference (1973) and the current ILC in 1993. The ILC does not aim at becoming a tightly organized global body or communion of churches, rather it works to nurture Lutheran confessional theology and relationships, he explained.

It was underlined during discussions that although the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS), with 2.5 million members is the largest ILC member church, the individual ILC member churches are all autonomous bodies and should not be regarded as extended arms of the LCMS.

The ILC comprises 29 Lutheran churches with a total membership of some 3.3 million people. The LWF has 140 member churches in 78 countries, representing nearly 66 million of the world's 69 million Lutherans. Ten churches have membership both in the LWF and ILC.

The ILC and LWF have maintained official forms of contact for two decades. Major joint meetings were held in 2002 in Geneva and in 2003 in Jaervenpaeae, Finland where reports were provided on the life and relations of member churches in different parts of the world, and theological issues were discussed. A March 2005 "Memorandum of Understanding" endorses annual joint meetings with the aim to increase mutual understanding between the two Lutheran world bodies and their member churches.

The full text of the statement of the joint ILC and LWF meeting in Geneva is posted with this LWI article on the LWF Web site at: http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/LWI/EN/1801.EN.html.

Lutheran World Information