Hanson, Noko Represent Lutheran World Federation In Audience With Pope

VATICAN CITY (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, president,
Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the Rev. Ishmael Noko, LWF
general secretary, Geneva, met here Nov. 7 with Pope Benedict XVI
as a prelude to regular meetings between staff of the LWF and the
Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Hanson is also presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA), Chicago.
In a prepared statement, Hanson greeted Pope Benedict XVI on
behalf of the 140 member churches of the LWF, representing
Christians in 78 countries. He expressed gratitude for an
audience in the first year of pope's pontificate.
"Although Lutheran and Roman Catholic ecclesiologies (church
structures) contain differences, our roots in the tradition of
the apostles remain foundational for our church and must also be
foundational for our ecclesial relations," Hanson said.
"Since your election you have emphasized that service to the
unity of the whole Christian church will be a high priority for
you. We wish to express our sincere appreciation for your
strongly expressed commitment in this area," he said.
"As Martin Luther stated in his 62nd thesis in 1517: 'The
true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory
and grace of God.' As Lutherans we see it as our shared
responsibility as churches to do all that is possible so that the
historically given and living gospel may truly fill the life and
mission of our churches," Hanson said.
Hanson noted that advances the Second Vatican Council made
40 years ago paved the way for the Joint Lutheran-Roman Catholic
Study Commission in 1967, and that the fourth phase of the
international Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity
"completed 10 years of work and is preparing a report on the
topic of 'The Apostolicity of the Church.'"
"It is also my pleasure to recognize on this occasion the
achievement of the (Roman) Catholic-Lutheran dialogue in the
United States, which last year completed its tenth round with a
report on 'The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures
and Ministries,'" Hanson said. "This report seeks a new approach
to the relations between priest and bishop through reflection on
the relationships between the communities they serve: (the)
parish and the diocese or regional church body," he said.
"A significant milestone of our bilateral relations was the
signing by the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation
of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification six
years ago in Augsburg, Germany. We are aware of how you
yourself, with the support of Pope John Paul II, actively
contributed to the fulfillment of this ecumenical landmark,"
Hanson said.
"There should be no doubt that Lutherans and Roman
Catholics, together with others, also see issues of ethics and
social justice in the light of the doctrine of justification. As
an expression of the gospel itself, the message of justification
provides important perspectives for the church's involvement with
the poor and those suffering from political oppression and
abuse," Hanson said.
"At this time of history, where the human family suffers so
greatly from wars of different origins, from natural
catastrophes, from diseases and poverty, may we as churches be
bridges of community and service, which was and remains Christ's
design for his Church," Hanson said. "As Christian churches we
are committed to ecumenical cooperation in the area of human
rights on all continents in the years to come," he said.
"We struggle today with movements of religious
fundamentalism within the churches and within the human family.
Since true faith in the Triune God forbids enmity in God's name,
Christian world communions have a special responsibility to
promote mutual respect and understanding across the barriers of
religious difference," Hanson said.
"This year is the special 'Year dedicated to the Eucharist'
in the Roman Catholic Church," he said. "Although we have
historically used different forms of language to express the
mystery of Christ's presence in bread and wine, Lutherans
believe, with Catholics, that Christ himself is present at the
Holy Eucharist in the consecrated bread and wine 'truly and in
substance' ... and that the baptized believer receives the gift
of salvation in all its fullness," Hanson said.
"United with the living Christ, both in the waters of
Baptism and in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, we know
ourselves impelled by Christ himself toward the visible unity of
his Church," he said.

Pope Benedict XVI greets Lutheran delegation
"It is with great joy that I welcome the representatives of
the Lutheran World Federation on the occasion of your official
visit to Rome," Pope Benedict XVI returned the greetings. "With
gratitude I remember the presence of your delegation both at the
funeral of the late Pope John Paul II and at the solemn
inauguration of my own ministry as Bishop of Rome," he said.
"For many years the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World
Federation have enjoyed close contacts and participated in
intensive ecumenical dialogue. This exchange of ideas has been
most productive and promising. Indeed, one of the results of
this fruitful dialogue is the Joint Declaration on Justification,
which constitutes a significant milestone on our common path to
full visible unity," the pope said.
"In order to build on this accomplishment, we must accept
that differences remain regarding the central question of
justification; these need to be addressed, together with the ways
in which God's grace is communicated in and through the Church,"
he said.
Pope Benedict XVI noted the progress of the international
Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue. "We are all aware that our
fraternal dialogue is challenged not just by the need to verify
the reception of these shared formulations of doctrine in our
respective communions, but even more so today by a general
climate of uncertainty regarding Christian truths and ethical
principles which formerly went unquestioned. This common
patrimony in certain cases is being undermined by changed
hermeneutical approaches," he said.
"Our ecumenical path together will continue to encounter
difficulties and will demand patient dialogue. I draw much
encouragement, however, from the solid tradition of serious study
and exchange which has characterized Catholic-Lutheran relations
over the years," the pope said.

Informal Discussion between the Pope and the Lutherans
Noko opened a period of informal discussions with a plea for
the pope to ask the Vatican's ambassador to Ethiopia to work with
urgency for peace and the restoration of human rights within that
East African nation.
The Rev.Theodor Dieter, Institute for Ecumenical Research,
Strasbourg, France, and the Rev. Joachim Track, German theologian
and past chairman of the LWF program committee for theology and
studies, carried on a brief theological discussion with the pope
in German about recent comments Pope Benedict XVI made regarding
relationships between the Word of God, its witnesses and its
interpretation.
During his formal remarks, the pope said, "I hope the future
progress of our dialogue on these issues will not only be placed
in a context of 'institutional' questions, but will take into
account the true source of all ministry in the Church."
"In fact, the mission of the Church is to witness to the
truth of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Word and witness go
together: the Word calls forth and gives form to the witness; the
witness derives its authenticity from total fidelity to the Word,
as expressed and lived in the apostolic community of faith under
the guidance of the Holy Spirit," said Pope Benedict XVI.
Others in the Lutheran delegation were Karin Achtelstetter,
LWF<