Spring 2006

U.S. Lutherans and Catholics after 4O Years

By William H. Lazareth

In the Biblical narratives, the number "40" often denotes a period of spiritual preparation before important events. The Israelites' trek through the wilderness in search of the Promised Land took 40 years. Moses was granted the revelation of the Ten Commandments atop Mt. Sinai after 40 days. Elijah had his encounter with God on Mt. Horeb after fasting for 40 days. Preeminently, before he began his own earthly public ministry as the Son of God, Jesus was first tempted by Satan in the wilderness for 40 days.

It is therefore fitting for U.S. Lutherans and Roman Catholics, also after 40 years, to evaluate critically their most recent doctrinal past together, in responsible preparation for even more eventful years yet to come. Such reflection could lead to another major occasion for the churches to celebrate during the symbolically significant period between 2015 and 2017. These years commemorate respectively the 50th anniversary of Vatican II's "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation" and the 500th anniversary of Luther's posting of his 95 Theses, inaugurating the Lutheran Reformation. These years, and the decade leading up to them, thus represent a historic and symbolic opportunity for common celebration among Lutherans and Catholics.

Since first officially authorized at Vatican Council II (1962-65), Catholics have engaged in official bilateral talks with Lutherans on themes that were synchronized on both the national and the international levels.

Most recently, in December 2005, the 11th round of new U.S. doctrinal dialogues was begun on the theme of "The Hope of Eternal Life." This round of dialogues will address traditional differences between the two communions relating to the Christian's life beyond death, including such issues as funeral rites, purgatory, limbo, indulgences, and masses and prayers for the dead. Also to be explored is the relation of one's justification and sanctification to glorification within the eternal life and vision of the blessed Holy Trinity.

The group's official objectives were described thus:

The ultimate goal is to establish full communion between our churches. This round of dialogue should focus on church-dividing and communion-hindering differences. There may result mutual instruction of our churches, learning from each other, and convergences between Lutherans and Catholics.

The wide range of doctrinal subjects on which previous common statements were composed includes the Nicene Creed (1965), Baptism (1966), The Eucharist as Sacrifice (1967), Eucharist and Ministry (1970), Papal Primacy (1974), Teaching Authority and Infallibility (1980), Justification by Faith (1985), and One Mediator, Saints and Mary (1992), and finally Scripture and Tradition (1995).

This American Lutheran-Catholic research, coupled with the work of German colleagues, provided crucial supportive documentation for the eventual international promulgation of the epochal document entitled "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" (1999). This document famously lifted the application of central sixteenth-century mutual condemnations on Justification (faithful Christians being declared and made righteous in Christ) for all the current signatories of the Vatican and the member churches of the Lutheran World Federation. In overcoming these long-standing condemnations, the "Joint Declaration" provides a milestone on the road toward visible unity among divided Christians, and a model for future efforts.

Some clarifying comments are in order to reassure readers who may confuse doctrinal reconciliation with football, by immediately asking "who won" or "who lost." The two sides are working not against each other, but together for the victory of Scriptural, creedal, and confessional orthodoxy. The scholars employed a groundbreaking advance in ecumenical theology aimed at achieving an "internally differentiated consensus." With such an objective firmly in view, Lutheran and Catholic explications of Justification were finally declared to be "in their difference open to one another." Divergences in explications "do not destroy the consensus regarding the basic truths."

In other words, doctrinal differences formerly regarded as church-dividing might now be judged as compatibly reconciled if — and only if — neither side affirmed what the other denied, and did not deny what the other side affirmed.

Under this approach, differences perceived during various periods of church history as heretical threats to the doctrine of the Gospel can potentially be interpreted as non-identical, but substantially reinforcing, orthodox affirmations of faith. On reexamination in the context of the historical development of Christian dogma, such differences could be judged to be complementary rather than contradictory. The search for "internally differentiated consensus" allows for a much richer diversity in culturally conditioned formulations regarding the doctrines of the church.

Once the polemical strife subsided, for example, Catholics and Lutherans were able, in the "Joint Declaration" (1999), to confess together, "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." That statement is an ecumenical "win-win" declaration.

The document systematically sets forth this common understanding of Justification (14-18), in light of the Biblical message (8-12), with explication in seven problem areas, of what Lutherans and Catholics can confess together ecumenically, as well as the distinctive accents of each body historically, now deemed contextually acceptable to the other (19-39).

Once the "Joint Declaration" was officially promulgated at the international level, the American scholars quickly redirected their attention to the massive challenge of employing this normative touchstone to address the chief remaining obstacle of ecclesial division, namely, the doctrine of the church itself. The resultant bilateral report of the 10th round of interdisciplinary research intentionally focuses on "The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures and Ministries" (2004). Its rewarding contents will command our attention for the remainder of this article.

The core of the Gospel vision of this report is that of koinonia (participation, fellowship, community) within the New Testament. This concept highlights the intimate participation/communion of justified believers with God in Christ (I Cor. 1:9; I Jn. I: 2-7) and the Holy Spirit (2Cor.13:13), thus with the Holy Trinity.

It also includes all the baptized people of God who are unified with one another under Christ within his body, which is to say: the church (Gal. 2:9; 2 Cor. 13:13). In the church the unity of and with Christ's body is joyfully celebrated in eucharistic adoration and praise (I Cor.10: 16). Furthermore, this thick ecclesial reality appears as the basis for the church’s pastoral admonitions (Phil. 2:1) and for its sharing together in love and justice with the poor (Rom. 15: 26-27) and the suffering in the world (Phil.3:10; 2 Cor.1:7).

Noteworthy also is that the 1985 Synod of Bishops (twenty years after its establishment by Paul VI in 1965) recognized this communion ecclesiology as "the central fundamental idea" of the documents of Vatican II. In complementary fashion, the Lutheran World Federation in 1990 redefined itself as a "communion of churches which confess the triune God, agree on the proclamation of the Word of God, and are united in pulpit and altar fellowship."

The Preface to "The Church as the Koinonia of Salvation" realistically states from the very outset that

we are not proposing to settle all of the church-dividing issues before us. We have not attempted to resolve the important ecclesiological issues of the ordination of women or the authority by which such a decision is made, nor the full meaning of apostolic succession in ordained ministry and how we might be reconciled. We have not addressed the level of communion in ministries and structures that would be necessary for even interim Eucharistic communion. We are, however, convinced that the clarifications and research represented by this text make an important contribution in the stages toward reconciling these and other elements along the path toward full communion.

Within these limits, the 70-page document proceeds structurally from a general consideration of "koinonia ecclesiology" (I) and the specific topic of the "local church" to (II) an analysis of the particular structures of koinonia in the two churches (III) and the ordained ministries that serve them (IV). A brief discussion of the ecumenically significant question of apostolic succession and its relation to ministry follows (V). This extended description and analysis form the background for a fresh vision of how church structures and ministry can be understood, including a number of provocative recommendations for the consideration of the two sponsoring church bodies (VI), (VII), (VIII).

On the basis of a massive display of bilateral Biblical, historical, doctrinal, and liturgical scholarship (472 lengthy, multilingual footnotes), the co-authors provide concrete steps leading toward a full, mutual recognition and reconciliation of Catholic and Lutheran ministries, and the ultimate goal of full communion. These steps are listed here as a concluding summary.

Toward a mutual recognition of the reality and woundedness of both members and churches, it is recommended for an ecumenical way forward that:

• Our churches recognize our common understanding of the independent structures of church life and ministry; namely, the diocese/synod with its bishop, and the parish/congregation with its pastor or priest. This common understanding is reflected in a shared sense of the single sacrament of Order ("sacramentum Ordinis") or the one office of ministry ("Amt"). The differences between us in emphasis and terminology need not be divisive, even though they challenge each church to overcome imbalances in its own tradition.

• Each church recognize that the other realizes, even if perhaps imperfectly, the one church of Jesus Christ and shares in the apostolic tradition.

• Each church recognize that the ordained ministry of the other effectively carries on, even if perhaps imperfectly, the apostolic ministry instituted by God in the church.

• Both our churches recognize that 1) our ordained ministries are wounded because the full communion between our ecclesial traditions makes it impossible for them adequately to represent and foster the unity and catholicity of the church; and 2) our communities are wounded by the lack of the full catholicity to which they are called, and by their inability to provide a common witness to the Gospel.

• Our churches pray together for the grace of repentance and conversion needed for healing the wounds of our division.

• Roman Catholic criteria for assessing authentic ministry include attention to a ministry's faithfulness to the Gospel and its service to the communion of the church, and that "defectus ordinis" as applied to Lutheran ministries be translated as "deficiency" rather than as "lack."

• Catholics explore how the universal ministry of the bishop of Rome can be reformed to manifest more visibly its subjection to the Gospel in service to the koinonia of salvation.

• Lutherans explore whether the worldwide koinonia of the church calls for a worldwide minister of unity and what form such a ministry might take to be truly evangelical.

Furthermore, toward effecting deeper communion, it is also recommended that "our churches recognize the real but imperfect communion among our ministers and encourage appropriate forms of pastoral collaboration between our ministries." Specifically, it is proposed:

1. That common activities among Lutheran and Roman Catholic bishops be promoted in order to signify the level of communion that exists between them, such as regular joint retreats, co-authored pastoral letters on topics of mutual concern, and joint efforts on matters of public good;

2. That mutual activities be intensified among ordained ministers, such as regular retreats, homily or sermon preparation study, participation in non-eucharistic prayer services and weddings, and common sponsorship of events or services in the life of the church, including as appropriate other leadership ministries;

3. That the faithful, in light of their common baptism into the people of God, engage together in catechesis, evangelization, peace and justice ventures, social ministry, and attendance at each other’s diocesan and synodical assemblies; and

4. That social ministry organizations, educational institutions, chaplaincies, and other church agencies engage together in activities that further the Gospel and the common good.

In short, this doctrinally-grounded programmatic text offers pastoral recommendations which are directed to both communions for their serious study, official approval, and eventual church-wide implementation. As Pope Benedict XVI affirmed at the outset of this new year, "the wounds resulting from more than four centuries of separation cannot be healed without determined efforts, perseverance, and above all, prayer."

In faithful response, the tenth round of U.S. Lutheran-Catholic dialogues has provided us a vision of instrumental next steps that could significantly advance Christian unity in the 21st Century.