LWF on a Lutheran ordinariate within the Roman Catholic Church

 — Jan. 18, 201318 janv. 2013

Following remarks by Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, at an 11 January 2013 book launch in Rome that the Vatican might consider an ordinariate for Lutherans within the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran World Information asked LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge to reflect on the implications of such initiative.

As Lutherans we adhere to and promote the fundamental right of every human being to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This fundamental right also implies that if a Lutheran wishes to belong to the Roman Catholic Church and witness to his or her faith in that church, he or she has the right – as much as his or her departure may pain us as Lutherans– to make this choice.

The LWF receives with great concern, however, information about the possible establishment of a special structure within the Roman Catholic Church that would create conditions to accommodate the specific desire of a very small number of Lutherans to belong to the Roman Catholic Church while retaining their confessional identity and traditions as Lutherans.

In addition to the theological questions that such a combination of confessional identities brings, the concern of the LWF relates to the fact that the creation of such a special structure would have deep ecumenical repercussions:

Lutheran churches around the world look towards the Reformation anniversary in 2017 rejoicing in the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Liberated by God’s grace, LWF member churches will uphold their ongoing commitment to ecumenical cooperation. They will continue to serve God and the neighbor together with other Christians, and search for the visible unity of the church, in particular through ecumenical dialogues at all levels. Glimpses of this unity are visible already now. With its promise of fullness, unity is a gift of the Triune God calling all Christians to ongoing prayer and passionate commitment.

Posted: Jan. 18, 2013 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=4727
Categories: NewsIn this article: Catholic, Lutheran World Federation
Transmis : 18 janv. 2013 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=4727
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Catholic, Lutheran World Federation


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