June 9, 2006

GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) considers the first-ever visit to the LWF Secretariat by the head of the Orthodox Church of Greece, as a significant affirmation of the churches' "dedicated contribution" to the Lutheran-Orthodox dialogue at regional and international level.

LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko made these remarks when he spoke to Lutheran World Information (LWI) about the major issues discussed during the visit of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece and his delegation to the Ecumenical Center in Geneva, from 28 May to 1 June 2006.

During an LWF luncheon in the archbishop's honor on 31 May, Noko said ecumenical dialogues were God's gift to enable Christians to "mutually contemplate the depths of our beliefs, and be reassured of the extent to which we share the fundamental apostolic sources of spiritual life."

"Theological dialogues are not negotiations by means of ecclesial forms of diplomacy," Noko said. "They are spiritual exercises, carried out in trustful openness, whereby – under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – the divine mysteries allow themselves to be searched in their boundless riches, for the building up in unity of God's one, holy, catholic and apostolic church," he added.

Christodoulos noted that the doctrinal discussions under the international Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission, including issues such as salvation, grace, justification and synergy, among others, "have brought our [churches] closer together and increased our understanding and appreciation of one another."

He expressed his appreciation for the ecumenical partnership within the World Council of Churches, and urged increased bilateral contacts and cooperation on "burning social issues of mutual concern" including human trafficking and climatic change, among others.

Noko also spoke of the urgent need to promote interfaith relations and dialogue worldwide, and stressed the churches' role in building "vital bridges within the human community" and providing spiritual strength to processes of reconciliation and conflict resolution.

The LWF general secretary said he anticipated the 25th anniversary of the Joint Commission to be marked in November 2006, to be an opportunity "toward increasing closeness and cooperation between our traditions," and to consider other means of collaboration in a world suffering from natural and human made catastrophes, conflicts, environmental destruction and widespread poverty.

High level visits and separate deliberations between the LWF and Ecumenical Patriarchate began in 1967. Apart from the international dialogue under the Joint Commission, which met for the first time in Espoo, Finland, in 1981, there are various regional Lutheran-Orthodox dialogues dealing with specific themes.

More information about the Lutheran-Orthodox dialogue is available on the LWF Web site at http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/OEA/Bilateral_Relations/OEA-Lutheran-Orthodox.html.

Lutheran World Information