Bishop Anderson, Cardinal George Discuss Consensus of Joint Declaration

PARK RIDGE, Ill. (ELCA) -- Representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Vatican are expected to sign the proposed "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" this year, saying condemnations of the 16th century no longer apply and declaring consensus on an important issue that has divided Lutherans and Roman Catholics for centuries.
The date and place for a signing ceremony are yet to be determined.
The declaration was part of a unique dialogue Jan. 31 between the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the 5.2-million member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and Cardinal Francis George, Roman Catholic archbishop of Chicago and one of about 150 members of the College of Cardinals worldwide. The two discussed the Joint Declaration at a prayer service that drew nearly 1,000 people to St. Luke's Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation here. The event concluded the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Justification has been an issue for Lutherans and Roman Catholics since the Reformation. Martin Luther's belief that grace is a free gift that cannot be earned led to disagreements with the Roman Catholic Church and his 95 Theses in 1517, which ultimately resulted in his excommunication and the beginnings of Protestantism.=20
The current proposal is the result of more than 30 years of work among theologians of both churches, who drafted the consensus statement.=20=

Bishop Anderson chaired the Lutheran team that worked on it with Roman
Catholics in the 1970s and 1980s. The proposal was approved in the United
States in 1983.=20
The proposal was then distributed for worldwide consideration, and a final proposal was drafted in 1997. The Vatican approved the declaration and in 1998 sought further clarification on some points, resulting in a signing delay, for which Cardinal George expressed regret.
"Many of us regret deeply that the Holy See's call for further clarification of some of the points of the consensus document was not made before the Lutheran World Federation finished its long and arduous work of building consensus among its member Lutheran churches," said Cardinal George, who represents 2.3 million Chicago-area Roman Catholics.=20
"As it developed, the Holy See's timing of bringing forth very important needs for clarification was a source of embarrassment to the Lutheran World Federation, and I regret that most sincerely," said Cardinal George.
During the discussion both leaders focused their remarks on a key passage in the Joint Declaration.
"Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works," the passage says.
Christianity embodies the concept of "sacrifice," but the concept differs among various religions, said Bishop Anderson.=20
"In Christianity, the sacrifice is one that God put forward," he said "so the case against a sinful humanity is dismissed. We are justified ... that is, we're declared innocent by God's grace as a gift. The righteousness that we did not earn is given to us by God, whose own righteousness covers ours."
A mix of religion and politics in the 16th century made it impossible for theologians to discuss important issues such as justification, Bishop Anderson said. That led to condemnations of people in each camp and Luther's excommunication. Since the Vatican II Council of the early 1960s, Lutherans and Roman Catholics have a new perspective on justification, he said.
The consensus proposal is an important milestone in seeking common understanding, despite the need to clarify some of the points in the document, Cardinal George said.
"Rather than being a source of discouragement, these clarifications are a call to continue to listen together -- first of all to Christ, and in Christ to one another," he said.
Roman Catholics speak of a hierarchy of truths, and their relationships to each other, the cardinal said.
"It seems that justification is less central in our Roman Catholic hierarchy of truths than it seems to be in the Lutheran understanding of the totality of Christian doctrine," Cardinal George said. "This difference opens up a very helpful conversation around the perspectives which shape our life with Christ, our experience as believers."
Differences still remain between the two traditions, Bishop Anderson said, noting that the Joint Declaration does not address papal infallibility and the ordination of women.
"In God's providence, we will one day walk together," Bishop Anderson added.
"These discussions are extraordinarily important for all believers," Cardinal George said. "We're invisibly one already by grace and baptism, and that's basic, but the visible differences can't just be washed away. They have to be prayed away first of all and discussed until clarity is reached, so that nobody betrays his or her conscience, nobody risks betraying the Lord."

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John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html