CENTRO PRO UNIONE N.76 - Fall 2009 ISSN: 1122-0384 semi-annual Bulletin In this issue: Letter from the Director..........................................................p. 2 Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue 1965-2005. An Extraordinary Historical Process with Significant Results and Still Remaining Challenges Günther Gassmann ...................................................... p. 3 Hebrew Bible, Human Rights and Interreligious Dialogue Jack Bemporad.......................................................... p. 10 Proclamation and Dialogue. Reflection and Orientation of Interreligious Dialogue and the Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ James Duncan.......................................................... p. 15 Centro Pro Unione - Via S. Maria dell'Anima, 30 - 00186 Rome, Italy A Center conducted by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement www.prounione.urbe.itDirector's Desk With this issue of the Bulletin we are happy to present the annual bibliography of interchurch and interconfessional dialogues. For those who have access to the web you do not have to wait for the supplement each year since the bibliography is up dated daily. You can access the web page at http://www.prounione.urbe.it/home_en.html and select: catalogue base DIA. We hope that this continued service helps promote not only the knowledge of the dialogues but also their reception. The text of the annual Paul Wattson and Lurana White lecture opens this issue. Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, M. Afr., Apostolic Nuncio to the Arab Republic of Egypt, delegate to the Arab League and recognized Islamic scholar, addressed a great number of women and men religious whose Congregations are engaged in interreligious dialogue as well as many students from the Ecumenical section of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas-Angelicum. Other activities of the Centro included lectures given by William Henn, OFM Cap, during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and dom Patrick Lyons, OSB. Both of these lectures had themes that concluded our anniversary celebration of the Genevan reformer Jean Calvin (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564). These texts will be published in the Fall issue of the Bulletin. Also in the Spring cycle of lectures the Executive Secretary of the World Mennonite Conference, Dr. Larry Miller dealt with the theme: “Glory to God and on Earth Peace”. Historic Peace Church Perspectives on the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation. In his lecture he explained the attempts of the “peace churches” to be involved in the elimination of violence in society as their contribution to the WCC’s decade to overcome violence. To round out the conference schedule, Dr. Michael Root, a Lutheran member of the International Lutheran Catholic dialogue, addressed a delicate theme in the history of Lutheran Reform in his lecture entitled: “Indulgences as Ecumenical Barometer: Penitence and Unity in the Christian Life”. The last activity of this Spring included a book presentation of the Dialogue Report Justification in the Life of the Church from the Lutheran/Catholic Dialogue Commission in Sweden. Bishop Eero Huovinen, Lutheran Bishop of Helsinki made a presentation introducing the contents of the dialogue report. This presentation was made in the presence of the dialogue commission composed of Catholics and Lutherans from Sweden and Finland. The evening was concluded with an Ecumenical Prayer and a reception so that the commission could meet some of our students and professors from the Roman Universities. Check our web site for up to date information on the Centro’s activities and realtime information on the theological dialogues. All of our staff wish you all a very pleasant Summer. This Bulletin is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database, published by the American Theological Library Association, 250 S. Wacker Drive, 16th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606 (http://www.atla.com). James F. Puglisi, sa DirectorN.76 / Fall 2009Bulletin / Centro Pro Unione 3 Centro Conferences CCCC Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue 1965-2005 An Extraordinary Historical Process with Significant Results and Still Remaining Challenges Günther GASSMANN Former Director, Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches (Conference given at the Centro Pro Unione, Thursday, 19 March 2009) I. The importance of a historical perspective One could argue that the division in the 16 century betweenth the Late Medieval Church and the Lutheran reform movement and the Lutheran churches that became its ecclesiastical manifestation constituted the most profound and far-reaching ecclesiastical and also political division in Europe. During the Reformation era and the centuries that followed Europe became a deeply divided continent with several larger confessional churches. Among Europe’s confessions the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran churches stands out because of the theological sharpness of the conflict and separa- tion. This conflict is symbolized by the excommunication of Martin Luther and the Lutheran denunciation, until recently, of the pope as anti-Christ. Further there was the mutual condemna- tion of pope and Catholic Church in the Lutheran Confessions and of Lutheran teachings in statements of the Council of Trent. These condemnations, though modified today, are still in force and maintain their church-dividing effect. This deep, painful, tragic Lutheran-Catholic division with its wide social, political, cultural, and mental implications has marked the European nations and peoples until the 20 centuryth and was exported through migration and mission to other parts of the world. This radical split has during the last centuries been considered by individual Catholics and Lutherans as a contra- diction of God’s gift and will of unity. But it was only in the 20th century that many Lutherans and Catholics and their churches have begun to consider overcoming this division as a primary historical commitment and challenge for the two churches. This history-changing reversal of Christian relationships occurred only a few decades ago! We have to keep this dark background in mind of the long and tragic history of Catholic-Lutheran division, in order to come to an adequate evaluation of the exceptional course and results of Lutheran-Catholic dialogue and rapprochement during the last forty years. Only in this horizon can we avoid present superficial negative evaluations of ecumenical progress. II. The Initiation of Catholic-Lutheran Dialogues Considered in this historical perspective it was indeed an extraordinary event and process when the official Catholic- Lutheran theological dialogue on a world level and in several countries became possible and was inaugurated in 1965. Only a few decades before that change the Vatican had still re- sponded negatively to invitations to participate in the first World Conference on Faith and Order in 1927 at Lausanne and the first World Conference on Life and Work at Stockholm in 1925. In 1927 Pius XI promulgated the Encyclical “Mortalium Animos” that rejected again the participation of the Catholic Church in the ecumenical movement because “There is only one way in which the unity of Christians may be fostered, and that is by promoting the return to the one true church of Christ of those who are separated from it; for from that one true church they have in the past unhappily fallen away.” 1 A new era was opened up when, after unofficial contacts, Pope John XXIII established in 1960 the Secretariat (later Pontifical Council) for Promoting Christian Unity and approved an official delegation of Catholic observers to the 1961 Assem- bly of the World Council of Churches at New Delhi. And in 1964 the full entry of the Roman Catholic Church into the ecumenical movement was ecclesiologically and officially legitimized by the 1964 Decree on Ecumenism – Unitatis Redintegratio – of Vatican II, dogmatically undergirded by the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, of the same year. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the communion of by now over 68 million Lutherans, was not taken by surprise of these radical changes. It had already in 1963 at its Assembly in Helsinki established the “Lutheran Foundation for Ecumenical T. STRANSKY, in Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, 1 ed. by N. LOSSKY et al., 2 ed. (Geneva: WCC Publications, nd 2002) 996-997.4 Bulletin / Centro Pro UnioneN. 76 / Fall 2009 Research” with its Institute for Ecumenical Research at2 Strasbourg/France. The first research professors of the Institute attended together with several other Lutheran observers among the group of non-Catholic observers the Second Vatican Council and closely monitored, studied and interpreted in publications the discussions and decisions of the Council. Already during the fourth session of the Council in 1965 a Lutheran/Roman Catholic Working Group met at Strasbourg/France in 1965 and then in1966 and proposed that the two churches “engage in serious discussions on theological issues”. They should not look primarily for quick solutions to practical problems but rather enter into a comprehensive dialogue about the basic problems which both separate and unite the two churches.3 These preparatory conversations are important in three respects. First, they were the first ones that initiated an interna- tional dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church that also has become, so far, the longest and most intensive one. Second, they emphasized clearly the nature and purpose of the planned dialogue. According to a basic and characteristic methodologi- cal and theological orientation of both Lutheran and Catholic identity, the focus of future discussions would be on central theological issues, some of them that divide the two churches and others that unite them. Here it was implied that the old methodology of “controversial theology” that aimed at an identification, comparison and discussion of doctrinal positions should be overcome. Third, it was decided, that this should be a bilateral dialogue without a third or more partners. Thus a new method within the broader ecumenical move- ment - also used by other Christian World Communions -, was introduced. Bilateral dialogues have the advantage that they can focus much better than multilateral dialogues with several partners on the specificities of church dividing differences and existing or potential agreements as well as on their accompany- ing historical and hermeneutical contexts. The official church sponsorship of these dialogues, furthermore, implies the necessity of acts of official reception by the two dialogue- partners. The limitations of bilateral dialogues consist in the danger of ignoring the broader, more comprehensive spectrum of Christian and ecumenical reality. The Catholic-Lutheran dialogue has sought to avoid this danger. III. Overview of Lutheran-Catholic Dialogues Thus with the 1965/1966 Working Group the ground was prepared for the continuous process of so far four phases of the official international Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. Each phase is authorized by the LWF and the Vatican through its Secretar- iat/Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian unity. It is significant that some form of visible unity of the church and not simply better mutual knowledge and understanding was from the beginning the implied goal of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. The four phases so far of the dialogue are: Phase I: 1967-1971 with the final report of the Study Commission The Gospel and the Church (Malta-Report) 1972.4 Together with the Methodist-Roman Catholic dialogue that began in 1967 and the Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue that began in 1970, this Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue was part of a first experiment in bilateral methodology of non-Catholic communions with the Roman Catholic Church. The presenta- tion of a wide range of topics in its report suggested that such a dialogue could be fruitful, and the report provided a basis and encouragement for further conversations. Phase II: 1973-1984 was very productive with final reports on The Eucharist 1978; Ways to Community 1980; All Under One Christ 1980 (on the Augsburg Confession); The Ministry in the Church 1981; Martin Luther – Witness to Jesus Christ 1983; Facing Unity – Models, Forms, and Phases of Catholic- Lutheran Fellowship 1984. Phase III: 1986-1993 with its final report on Church and Justification 1993. Phase IV: 1995-2006 with the Study Document on The Apostolicity of the Church 2006. Phase V: 2009 - … begins with a first meeting in September 2009. A special Catholic-Lutheran Commission worked from 1997-1999 on the preparation of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification of 1999. The international Catholic-Lutheran dialogue is accompa- nied by and frequently related to a number of national dia- logues. Only three of them can be indicated here: the dialogues in the USA, Germany and Australia. The Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue in the USA began in 1965 and is generally perhaps the most intensive dialogue in view of the number of meetings and publications. Up to 1993 there were nine rounds: I. on the Nicene Creed, II. on 5 Baptism, III. on the Eucharist, IV. on the Eucharist and67 Offizieller Bericht der Vierten Vollversammlung des 2 Lutherischen Weltbundes, Helsinki, 30. Juli – 11. August 1963, (Berlin & Hamburg: Lutherisches Verlagshaus, 1965) 433-439. “Joint Report of the Roman Catholic/Lutheran Working 3 Group”, Lutheran World 13, 4 (1966) 436f. “Report of the Joint Lutheran/Roman Catholic Study 4 Commission on ‘The Gospel and the Church’. Offprint, Lutheran World 19, 3 (1972), also in H. MEYER and L. VISCHER (eds.), Growth in Agreement. Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level (New York/Geneva: Paulist Press/World Council of Churches, 1984) 168-189. [Hereafter cited: Growth in Agreement I ]. “The Status of the Nicene Creed as Dogma in the Church,” in 5 P.C. EMPIE and T.A. MURPHY (eds.), Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue I – III (Minneapolis; Augsburg Publishing House, 1965). “One Baptism for the Remission of Sins,” in Lutheran and 6 Catholics in Dialogue I – III, 1966. “The Eucharist as Sacrifice,” in Lutherans and Catholics in 7 Dialogue I – III, 1967. Vols. I – III are also published separately.N. 76 / Fall 2009Bulletin / Centro Pro Unione 5 Ministry, V. on Papal Primacy, VI. on Teaching Authority89 and Infallibility, VII. on Justification, VIII. on the One1011 Mediator, the Saints, and Mary, IX. on Scripture and 12 Tradition, followed by round X. on ecclesiology and the13 different ministries 1998-2004. The intensity of this dialogue 14 is exemplified by its so far tenth round with its 5 meetings and 7 drafting meetings that led to the final agreed statement that comprehends 140 pages and that should receive a gold medal for the record number of altogether 472 footnotes! Round XI on The Hope for Eternal Life began in 2005. The Catholic-Lutheran dialogue in Germany began unofficially already soon after World War II in 1945 with the (later so called) Ecumenical Working Group of Evangelical (mostly Lutheran) and Catholic Theologians (ÖAK), a truly pioneering enterprise that still continues today. The Group has published the contributions of its members and the results of its discussions and reflections in so far 14 volumes. The last three ones contain in over 1200 pages the papers of its members and a larger concluding report on their study project Das kirchliche Amt in apostolischer Nachfolge (The Ministry of the Church15 in Apostolic Succession). These volumes represent an enor- mously rich source of material and perspectives for the ongoing Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. In addition to this group the official dialogue in the form of the Bilateral Working Group of the German (Catholic) Bishops’ Conference and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (VELKD) began in 1978 and led to a first document on Communion in Word and Sacrament in 1984. Responses of the Catholic Bishops Confer- ence (1987) and the VELKD (1985) declared, among others, that the Reformation’s condemnation of the Mass as an “abomi- nation” and of the pope as “Antichrist” do not apply to the present teaching of the Catholic Church. This new interpreta- 16 tion was already taken up in a new edition (by the VELKD) of the Lutheran Confessions where the condemnations were 17 explained and qualified in footnotes with references to the dialogue. This again represents a remarkable reception of the dialogue with consequences for official teaching. And this way of dealing with statements and decisions of past history that are judged no longer applicable today seems to me an appropriate method of re-representing historical events and statements that cannot be erased from history. A second Catholic-Lutheran Bilateral Working Group in Germany began its work in 1987. It used a new ecumenical methodology that was first applied in the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification of 1999. The Preface to the final report of 2000 with the title Sanctorum Communio says: “The18 goal of the dialogue is not a consensus in the sense of a com- plete identity of opinions/understandings but a ‘differentiated consensus’ which contains two different statements: ∑ the agreement reached in the fundamental and essential content of a hitherto controversial doctrine; ∑ an explanation how and why the remaining differences can be accepted without undercutting the basis and essence of the agreement.” The Working Group presented its (German) concluding report in 2000. It is praised for its method and courage to take up topics of considerable difficulty such as teaching authority in the church, the papacy, a petrine ministry within the communion of the church. Finally one should mention among national Catholic- Lutheran dialogues the dialogue that is faithfully conducted in Australia. The Australian Lutheran-Roman-Catholic Dialogue began in 1975. It has so far published the following statements: Agreed Statement on Baptism (1977), Sacrament and Sacrifice “Eucharist and Ministry,” in Lutherans and Catholics in 8 Dialogue IV (New York/Washington, DC: U.S.A. National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation/The Bishops´ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, 1970). P.C. EMPIE and T.A. MURPHY (eds.), Papal Primacy and 9 the Universal Church, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue V (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1974). P.C. EMPIE, T.A. MURPHY, and J.A. BURGESS (eds.), 10 Teaching Authority & Infallibility in the Church, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VI (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1978). H.G. ANDERSON, T. A. MURPHY, and J.A. BURGESS 11 (eds.), Justification by Faith, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VII .(Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1985). H.G. ANDERSON, J.F. STAFFORD, and J.A. BURGESS 12 (eds.), The One Mediator, the Saints, and Mary, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VIII (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1992). H.C. SKILLRUD, J.F. STAFFORD, and D.F. MARTENSEN 13 (eds.), Scripture and Tradition, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue IX (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1995). R. HILL and J. GROS (eds.), The Church as Koinonia of 14 Salvation – Its Structures and Ministries, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue X (Washington: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005). Th. SCHNEIDER & G. WENZ, (eds.), Teil I: Grundlagen und 15 Grundfragen (Freiburg/Göttingen: Herder/Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2004); D. SATTLER & G. WENZ, (eds.), Teil II: Ursprünge und Wandlungen, hg.(Freiburg/Göttingen: Herder/Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2006); D. SATTLER & G. WENZ, (eds.), Teil III: Verständigungen und Differenzen, hg. (Freiburg/Göttingen: Herder/Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008). More fully developed in the report of the ÖAK: K. 16 LEHMANN and W. PANNENBERG, (eds.), The Condemnations of the Reformation Era: Do They Still Divide? (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1990), (German: Lehrverurteilungen . kirchentrennend? [Freiburg/Göttingen: Herder/Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1986]). Unser Glaube. Die Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch- 17 lutherischen Kirche (Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus Gerd Mohn, 1991) 451f; 466; 515f; 520. Communio Sanctorum. The Church as the Communion of 18 Saints (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2004) ix.6 Bulletin / Centro Pro UnioneN. 76 / Fall 2009 (1985), Pastor and Priest (1989), Communion and Mission.19 A Report from the Australian Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue on the Theology of the Church (1995) (a topic 20 seldom considered in dialogues) and Justification – A Common Statement of the Australian Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dia- logue.21 Other national dialogues were or are conducted in Argen- tina, Brazil, Canada, Finland, India, Japan, Norway and Sweden. 22 IV. Main Characteristics and Results of Catholic-Lutheran Dialogues The great number of international and national Catholic- Lutheran dialogues has up to this day produced a flood of papers and reports. In this short survey I can refer only to international dialogues and mention some national ones. Even though the initial phase of the international Catholic- Lutheran dialogue from 1967 to 1972 was necessarily provi- sional and testing out new ground in inter-church relations, the topic assigned to the dialogue that was carried out by a Study Commission was already significant – The Gospel and the Church (cf. note 4). It articulated a kind of thesis, stating two particular theological emphases of the two traditions while at the same time connecting and interrelating them. It also is remark- able and even surprising that the 1972 report of the Study Commission after this short initial period of the dialogue and after a limited number of meetings is already affirming that the members “have achieved a noteworthy and far-reaching consensus” within the framework of their theme. A positive 23 statement in such words was only possible on the basis of preceding theological developments in both churches since the beginning of the 20 century and, perhaps even more impor-th tantly, in the light of the new recognition and awareness of continuing theological commonalities between both churches that formerly had been ignored and pushed aside in the heat of past controversies. The report did break new ground methodologically and hermeneutically. It argued against starting all over again with the old controversial theological positions as was the method of “Kontroverstheologie” far into the 20 century – and some old- th fashioned theological warriors still employ it today. Rather, changes in the historical situation as well as changes in theologi- cal methods and ways of thinking that have been brought about by modern biblical and historical research should be taken into consideration (p.4). Then a number of basic convergences on former controversial issues are listed, thereby already anticipat- ing later more developed results of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. The methodological and theological groundwork for the ensuing phases of the dialogue had been laid and encourage- ment and hope for this new era of Catholic-Lutheran relations had been inspired. Looking forty years later at the excitement of these beginnings it is obvious that this spirit could not be maintained in the ongoing dialogue when the more detailed and patient work of struggling with complex doctrinal differences had to be undertaken. But this retrospective on the first report also may explain why the present dialogue with its much more broadly spread out and often unnecessarily repetitive work does no longer look so exciting. This harder work of struggling with individual topics of past dividing differences began in the second phase of the interna- tional Catholic-Lutheran dialogue 1973 to 1984 with the theme and final report on The Eucharist (1978). As Lutherans had 24 considered the main difference with the Reformed/Presbyterian tradition to consist in the area of Eucharistic doctrine, they tended also with regard to the Roman Catholic Church to consider the Eucharist as a main point of difference and division. Therefore this first choice was made. A remarkable broad methodological approach was taken in this dialogue by deciding also to include results of Anglican-Catholic, Anglican- Lutheran, Catholic-Reformed-Lutheran (France, Groupe de Dombes), WCC/Faith and Order, Catholic-Lutheran/USA and other dialogues. Thus, the danger of a too narrow approach was avoided. Second, references to liturgical orders as expressions of Eucharistic doctrine were included. This approach is very much in line with the proposal of my teacher Edmund Schlink in his important article “The Structure of Dogmatic Statements as an Ecumenical Problem,” according to which basic doctrinal25 affirmations of the different churches are often expressed in a variety of forms of faith affirmations. Third, the consideration of the traditional divisive issues such as Eucharistic presence, Eucharistic sacrifice, Eucharistic communion and fellowship, was prepared and prefaced by a first section of the report called “Joint Witness” that opened up the whole report with common doctrinal positions. Also in the following section on “Common Tasks” that dealt with controversial issues, each of the issues mentioned above was introduced by a common statement. Only then the differences were discussed and challenges addressed to each side and possible solutions outlined. This method and style The three statements have been published in R.K. 19 WILLIAMSON (ed.), Stages on the Way. Documents from the Bilateral Conversations between Churches in Australia (Melbourne: The Joint Board of Christian Education, 1994) 56- 129. (Adelaide, Openbook Publishers, 1995). 20 (Adelaide, Openbook Publishers, 1999). 21 Information on these dialogues can be found in the regular A 22 Bibliography of Interchurch and Interconfessional Theological Dialogues as part of the Semi-Annual Bulletin of the Centro pro Unione. Cf. note 4, 3. 23 (Geneva: Lutheran World Federation, 1978), also in Growth 24 in Agreement I, 190-214. Printed in E. SCHLINK, The Coming Christ and the Coming 25 Church (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968) 16-84.N. 76 / Fall 2009Bulletin / Centro Pro Unione 7 provided the report with an enormously broad and positive spirit. It did not hide difficulties, but put them into a new light in which they lost their divisive sharp edges. The degree of remarkable agreement and convergence in this report on the Eucharist is complemented by the reports of national Catholic-Lutheran dialogues on that topic. Thus, when we take these reports all together and read them in the light of reactions to them as well as in view of the 1982 World Council of Churches/Faith and Order document on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry we may speak of a far-reaching Lutheran-Roman Catholic agreement on the doctrine and practice of the Eucha- rist. The remaining differences in theological interpretation and liturgical expression are generally regarded as no longer being divisive. It is obvious that there are no fixed criteria for discern- ing that which is church dividing and what is not. Such criteria exist neither within the churches nor as mutually agreed ones between them. In this slightly floating matter we have to rely on the sum of reactions to dialogue reports and to forms of official reception by the churches. But within this framework of moving towards discernment of consensus, convergence, and accept- able differences we can speak of a far-reaching agreement on the doctrine and practice of the Eucharist. This represents a significant result. And in these ecu- menically not so exciting times it would be a remarkable step and a sign of hope and encouragement if the Roman Catholic Church and the member churches of the Lu- theran World Federation would affirm this far-reaching agreement on the understanding and practice of the Eucharist. However, the agreement on the Eucharist does not compre- hend the ministry of the Eucharist, and here we encounter its limitations. This brings us to the next topic of the Catholic- Lutheran dialogue. In the same way as the report on the Eucharist the report on The Ministry in the Church of 1981 26 refers extensively to other ecumenical dialogues and takes over many of their insights. This expresses the insight that the various ecumenical dialogues can complement and enrich each other. A new methodological element in the report on the ministry is the frequent concluding clause at the end of a section “if both churches acknowledge that …” or “wherever there exists this understanding … and where one-sidedness and distortions have been overcome, it is possible to speak of a consensus on the reality” (par. 39). Accordingly, the conclusions of the different sections do not “hang in the air” but require accep- tance/reception in order to become an agreed or convergent position. The different sections formulate agreements and convergences on the origin and nature of the ordained ministry, its different forms, on ordination, apostolic succession, episco- pal ministry, and the Petrine ministry of the bishop of Rome. This Petrine ministry, the report says, “need not be excluded by Lutherans as a visible sign of the unity of the church as a whole” (par.73), however with the added qualification already stated in the 1972 report on The Gospel and the Church (no. 66) and referring to the Lutheran Confessions: “insofar as this office is subordinated to the primacy of the gospel by theological reinterpretation and practical restructuring”. More recent dialogue reports such as Communio Sanctorum (Germany 2000), The Church as Koinonia of Salvation (USA, 2005), The Apostolicity of the Church (world level dialogue, 2006), have continued to struggle with the issue of the Petrine ministry in its service to Christian unity on the universal level. They suggest steps towards a “middle solution” on the way to a convergence. In this context it could be helpful to consider the agreement expressed in the last sentence of the Annex to the Official Common Statement that is attached to the Joint Decla- ration on the Doctrine of Justification (page 47 or Growth in Agreement II, page 582): “Notwithstanding different concep- tions of authority in the church, each partner respects the other partner’s ordered process of reaching doctrinal decisions.” This is a way forward that could lead to an understanding that would include some form of respect of non-catholic churches for and relation of with the petrine ministry without accepting its present canonical forms and its prerogatives of primacy and infallibility. Yet apart from this issue the 1981 report on the ministry ends rather positively by referring to “the desirability of the mutual recognition by the two churches of their ministries in the not too distant future” (par.81). Steps towards this goal would lead from (1) mutual respect of ministries and (2) practical cooperation of ministries – both already widely taking place – to (3) “a mutual recognition that the ministry in the other church exercises essential functions of the ministry that Jesus Christ himself instituted in his church” (par.85). This recognition would also include the affirmation that the Holy Spirit uses the ministries of the other church as means of salvation in the proclamation of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments and the leadership of congregations (par.85). Again, these carefully formulated proposals should be complemented and supported – as in the case of the Eucharist – by the results of later and more detailed bilateral dialogue reports on the ministry. Then we may say: This represents a significant result. And in these not so exciting ecumenical times it would be a considerable step and a sign of hope and encouragement if the Roman Catholic Church and the member churches of the Lu- theran World Federation would affirm, that the ministry in the other church exercises essential functions of the ministry that Jesus Christ instituted in his church, and that the Holy Spirit uses the ministries of the other church as means of salvation in the proclamation of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments and the leadership of congregations. After having covered some basic ground and expressing considerable commonalities and agreements, the Catholic- Lutheran international dialogue introduced two rather unique (Geneva: The Lutheran World Federation, 1982), also in 26 Growth in Agreement I, 248-275.8 Bulletin / Centro Pro UnioneN. 76 / Fall 2009 methodological considerations: 1. It presented in its 1980 report on Ways to Community a kind of reflective pause in order to27 consider the goal of unity and the ecclesiological as well as practical implications and steps on the way to that goal. This exercise ends with the broader perspective of this Catholic- Lutheran historical project by pointing to the “fellowship of all Christians” and the “unity of humankind” (paras. 91-96). 2. Four years later followed in1984 the report on Facing Unity,28 a kind of intermediate taking stock (Bilanz) of the results of the dialogues so far on the understanding of the faith, the sacra- ments and the ministry. The report connected and comple- mented its survey with first evaluations and the results of other bilateral and multilateral dialogues, Catholic-Lutheran and others. This preliminary form of reception comes as a magnifi- cent intermediate evaluation, a “stop-over” on the way to further work. In addition the report presents in Part I a most helpful survey of different concepts and models of partial and full church union and communion, without expressing preference for one of them. Another special element of this dialogue is the fact that it has dealt with two historical events and personalities in addition to the usual list of disputed doctrines. The first example is the joint statement All Under One Christ on the 450 anniversary of29th the Augsburg Confession in 1980, the most widely officially accepted Lutheran confessional writing, together with Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. Returning to the original aim of the Augsburg Confession to offer a basis for preserving church unity, an aim that was not successful, now, 450 years later the report could say in reference to the first part of the Augsburg Confession: “Reflecting on the Augsburg Confession, there- fore, Catholics and Lutherans have discovered that they have a common mind on basic doctrinal truths…” This conclusion is based on the “joint statement on the relation between gospel and church; the broad common understanding of the Eucharist; the agreement that a special ministerial office conferred by ordina- tion is constitutive for the church” (paras. 17 and 18). After pointing out further agreements and convergences, the report concludes that “the common faith which we have discovered in the Augsburg Confession can also help us to confess this faith anew in our times” (par. 27). The second example is the short 1983 text on Martin Luther – Witness to Jesus Christ. A Statement by the Roman Catho- lic/Lutheran Joint Commission on the Occasion of Martin Luther’s 500 Birthday. Such a text was only possible on theth30 basis of the profound Catholic Luther-research since the late 1930s. The text summarizes and further develops a common Lutheran-Catholic understanding of the work and legacy of Martin Luther. Luther, a major symbol and personification during 400 years of the past Catholic-Lutheran conflict and division is now seen as a Christian who “has had, and still has a crucial influence on the history of the church, of society and of thought” (par. 1). His “call for church reform, a call for repentance, is still relevant for us.” (par.6). And: “Luther points beyond his own person in order to confront us all the more inescapably with the promise and the claim of the gospel he confessed” (par.12). The text is not silent about Luther’s “polemical excesses” in his writings about the papacy, the Jews, the Anabaptists, and the peasants (par.20). It also mentions the distortions that were inflicted on his theological and spiritual heritage in the course of history (par.19). Yet the overarching evaluation is positive and ends with a list of points from Lu- ther’s legacy, the first one must suffice here: “As a theologian, preacher, pastor, hymn-writer, and man of prayer, Luther has with extraordinary spiritual force witnessed anew to the biblical message of God’s gift of liberating righteousness and made it to shine forth” (par.26). This represents a significant result. And in these ecu- menically not so exciting times it would be a remarkable step and a sign of hope and encouragement if the Roman Catholic Church would also officially affirm the changed evaluation of Martin Luther and declare that the excom- munication of Martin Luther no longer applies today. After the reports on Martin Luther – Witness to Jesus Christ (1983) and Facing Unity (1984), phase III of the international Catholic-Lutheran dialogue between 1986 and 1993 discussed two crucial issues and formulated its findings in the report on Church and Justification. It presents a comprehensive 31 Catholic-Lutheran agreement and convergence on the church, its origin, its Trinitarian and communitarian nature, and its saving and social mission. Remaining differences between both sides are considered to be non-divisive and would thus be elements of a “unity in reconciled diversity”. The ecclesiologic- al considerations again draw extensively on reports of other ecumenical dialogues and thereby achieve a form of ecumenical cross-reception that adds to the weight and width of the text. As an introductory perspective and as part of the conclusion the report relates the common understanding of the doctrine of justification to the reflection on the church. Thereby it both corrects an often rather narrow individualistic Lutheran under- Ways to Community (Geneva: The Lutheran World Federation, 27 1981), also in Growth in Agreement I, 215-240. (Geneva: Lutheran World Federation, 1985), also in J. GROS, 28 H. MEYER, and W.G. RUSCH, (eds.), Growth in Agreement II. Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level, 1982-1998 (Geneva/Grand Rapids: WCC Publications/William B. Eerdmans, 2000) 443-484. Printed together with Ways to Community (Geneva: The 29 Lutheran World Federation, 1981) 29-35, also in Growth in Agreement I, 241-247. Ibid, 72-80 and in Growth in Agreement II, 438-442. 30 Church and Justification. Understanding the Church in the 31 Light of the Doctrine of Justification (Geneva: The Lutheran World Federation, 1994), also in Growth in Agreement II, 485- 565.N. 76 / Fall 2009Bulletin / Centro Pro Unione 9 standing of justification and helps to prepare the Joint Declara- tion on the Doctrine of Justification of 1999.32 The significance of this Joint Declaration is – at least – threefold: First, it represents an agreement concerning the most fundamental theological difference and division between Catholics and Lutherans at the time of the Reformation and ever since. Its acceptance, indeed, “represents an ecumenical event of historical significance” (Preface, 6). Second, the Joint Declaration is the result of a conscious “confluence” of the insights of international and national Catholic-Lutheran dia- logues. Thus it rests on a broader basis of theological discussion and consensus. Third, the Joint Declaration has been officially received and thereby affirmed by the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation with its member churches. This is, so far, the first time that the Roman Catholic Church and one of its dialogue partners have not only responded to a dialogue result but have officially affirmed it. This was an act of reception that is up to now unique. The Joint Declaration has found a broad theological echo and 33 continues to act as an impulse and encouragement of both initiating and intensifying Catholic-Lutheran relationships in many places in the world. Furthermore, the acceptance of the Joint Declaration by the World Methodist Conference in July 2006 is a highly important sign of a wider ecumenical conver- gence that binds the three communions closer together. V. Conclusion This survey provides just a glimpse at the extraordinary historical process of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue and its truly significant results. In a full overview of the main results of all international and national Catholic-Lutheran dialogues the enormous wealth of their theological insights and perspectives would become even more clearly apparent. This rich material has been studied in ecumenical institutes, doctoral dissertations, many publications, examination papers, etc. but it has not yet been widely taken note of by the churches on both sides. Nevertheless, together with the official reception of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification the international and national Catholic-Lutheran dialogues already are having an – often indirect and implicit – impact on theological thinking, changes of spiritual life and mentality of Christians, and on furthering contacts and relations between our churches. The still remaining challenges and tasks are the frequently mentioned but not so numerous theological and structural issues that require further convergence of positions. The main task, however, will be the official reception by both churches of those agreements and convergences and the recommendations attached to them that have been highlighted in this paper. Forms of this reception were suggested in the reports themselves. In order to prepare such acts of reception the LWF and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity could follow a similar procedure to the one used when the Joint Declaration was prepared. A special Catholic-Lutheran drafting group could evaluate all dialogue statements on particular issues, beginning with, for example, the Eucharist and draft an agreed statement on the Eucharist that would also mention the remaining but not divisive differences. A step on these lines has been mentioned above at the end of the Eucharist section. This draft could be considered again by a larger group and then, if acceptance by the churches seems possible, be submitted to the respective authorities for an act of official reception and affirmation. If such an official reaction to and reception of the achievements of the dialogues on the Eucharist and then on other issues as indicated in my text would be possible, this would brighten the ecumenical scene and have an encouraging impact on our churches. Furthermore, this would inspire ecumenical hope and confidence in our time and in the wider ecumenical com- munity because the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue certainly is not the exclusive property of the two communions but a contribution to the broader ecumenical movement as this dialogue is also profiting from the theological and spiritual insights of this movement. THE LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION AND THE 32 ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (Grand Rapids; William B. Eerdmans, 2007) also in Growth in Agreement II, 566-582. Only a few examples: B.J. HILBERATH und W. 33 PANNENBERG, (eds.), Die Zukunft der Ökumene. Die „Gemeinsame Erklärung zur Rechtfertigungslehre” (Regensburg: Friedrich Pustet, 1999); A. MAFFEIS, (ed.), Dossier sulla giustificazione: La dichiarazione congiunta cattolico-luterana, commento e dibattito teologico, (Brescia: Queriniana, 2000); A. BIRMELÉ, La communion ecclésiale. Progrès œcuméniques et enjeux méthodologiques (Paris/Genève: Cerf/Labor et Fides, 2000) 101-190; M. HONNECKER & K. KERTELGE, Zur ökumenischen Debatte um die „Rechtfertigung” (Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag, 2001); K.L. BLOOMQUIST and W. GREIVE The Doctrine of Justification. Its Reception and Meaning Today (Geneva: Lutheran World Federation, 2003); E. GENRE e A. GRILLO, (eds.), Giustificazione, chiese, sacramenti. Prospettive dopo la Dichiarazione cattolico-luterana (Roma: Centro studi S. Anselmo, 2003); W.G. RUSCH, (ed.), Justification and the Future of the Ecumenical Movement. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, .(Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2003); N.A.C. OGOKO, Dialogue on Justification. A Model for Ecumenical Dialogue Among the Churches in Nigeria? (Münster: LIT Verlag, 2007); C. ACHENBRUCK, Einig und verschieden in der Rechtfertigungslehre. Das Sündersein der Gerechten nach der „Gemeinsamen Erklärung zur Rechtfertigungslehre” im Spiegel der Reaktionen (Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag, 2009).Next >