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| Prof. Dr. Werner Klan, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee, Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Msgr Dr. Matthias Türk |
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the International Lutheran Council (ILC) to Hold Informal International Dialogue
VATICAN CITY - The
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the
International Lutheran Council (ILC), an organization for the purpose of
encouraging, strengthening, and promoting confessional Lutheran
theology, met to discuss the possibility of extending local and regional
informal discussions into an
informal ecumenical dialogue process on the international level. The meeting between the PCPCU and the ILC primarily occurred after several informal discussions between some ILC members and Roman Catholic organizations resulted in positive outcomes, especially those held between the Lutheran Theological Seminary Oberursel of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) and the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism in Paderborn, Germany. Other informal discussions that contributed to the meeting between the PCPCU and the ILC included those held between The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the Archdiocese of Saint Louis and the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, and those between Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) and representatives of the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops.
Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Dicastery, and Monsignore Dr.
Matthias Türk represented the PCPCU. Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, Chairman,
Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Executive Secretary, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee,
Vice-chairman, and Prof. Dr. Werner Klän, Lutheran Theological Seminary
Oberursel, represented the ILC.informal ecumenical dialogue process on the international level. The meeting between the PCPCU and the ILC primarily occurred after several informal discussions between some ILC members and Roman Catholic organizations resulted in positive outcomes, especially those held between the Lutheran Theological Seminary Oberursel of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) and the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism in Paderborn, Germany. Other informal discussions that contributed to the meeting between the PCPCU and the ILC included those held between The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the Archdiocese of Saint Louis and the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, and those between Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) and representatives of the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops.
The discussion had three primary points: A Presentation of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) including its history and priorities, Ecumenical Relations between ILC members and the Roman Catholic Church, and Future Ecumenical Goals.
After a productive discussion, it was proposed that the local and regional informal discussions may be extended to an informal international dialogue process between the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church. These international series of consultations would be delegated to the ILC executive committee and to the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism. The goals of these discussions would be to define more unity between the churches represented by the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church and to offer a deeper understanding of the work already accomplished by the Lutheran – Roman Catholic dialogue on the international and regional level.
Cardinal Koch and Bishop Voigt expressed gratitude for the meeting and looked forward to a deepening of relationships between member churches of the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church.
The ILC and the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism after an organizational meeting, propose to hold two meetings a year for the next three years with the results of these discussions to be presented to the PCPCU.
My Comments: For a long time I have suggested that the Roman Catholics need to meet with those who intend to be Lutheran and not those who have no desire to be the Confessional Lutherans our theological documents claim us to be. Maybe this will signal a new willingness to more honestly confront and discuss what truly divides the Wittenbergers from the Romans...
9 comments:
The papists took the LWF and XXXA for a ride with the JDDJ, and now the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism, which hawks things like "Ecumenical commenting of the 95 indulgence theses of Martin Luther," wants to start a dialogue between the Roman Church, ILC, SELK, and the LCMS, coincidentally leading up to the anniversary of the Reformation.
Lutheran theological dialoguing with Romanists has been going on since April 26, 1518. But now is not the time to discuss singing a papish version of "Kum-ba-yah" during Reformation celebrations.
Hmmmmm. Mixed feelings. If there can truly be discussion with open Scriptures and not just open minds, maybe...
If discussions with the RCC force the Evangelical "Willow Creek LCMS Lutherans" to rediscover and reclaim the Lutheranism of 1518, then I cannot wait for deeper dialog.
If 495 years of discussions between Lutherans and Romanists haven't convinced Willow Creek LCMS Lufauxrans to rediscover and reclaim the Lutheranism of 1518, dialoguing between the ILC and the RC probably isn't going to make much difference.
What would make a difference is if the synod and district presidents would carry out their sworn ecclesiastical supervision responsibilities.
I for one welcome such a high level conversation. In these postmodern times, the RCC can be our friends in a number of social and even theological issues (ordination, homosexuality, liturgy). While a Trentine Catholicism will never be compatible with Augustana, discussing our differences never hurts. I think Herman Sasse would also agree.
Gabriel, DK - Europe
This just in…..
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/26/obamas-call-close-holy-see-embassy-slap-face-catho/
And today there is Pope Francis's first "apostolic exhortation," "Evangelii Gaudium," including:
"252. Our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance, since they are now significantly present in many traditionally Christian countries, where they can freely worship and become fully a part of society. We must never forget that they 'profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, who will judge humanity on the last day'. The sacred writings of Islam have retained some Christian teachings; Jesus and Mary receive profound veneration and it is admirable to see how Muslims both young and old, men and women, make time for daily prayer and faithfully take part in religious services. Many of them also have a deep conviction that their life, in its entirety, is from God and for God. They also acknowledge the need to respond to God with an ethical commitment and with mercy towards those most in need.
"254. Non-Christians, by God’s gracious initiative, when they are faithful to their own consciences, can live 'justified by the grace of God', and thus be 'associated to the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ'. But due to the sacramental dimension of sanctifying grace, God’s working in them tends to produce signs and rites, sacred expressions which in turn bring others to a communitarian experience of journeying towards God."
The form of Francis' proclamation has less weight than any other form of papal pronouncement. That does not diminish the content of what he has written but means its significance is less than it might have been.
With the recent PR about more kissy-kissy dialoguing between the ILC (including the LCMS) and the Vatican, things have been strangely quiet at the Purple Palace about plans for a joint ILC-LCMS-Vatican celebration of the 450th Anniversary of the Council of Trent, which concluded on December 4, 1563 (it began on December 13, 1545).
Does anyone know if CPH stocks any Tridentine Anniversary cards?
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