Jerry Pillay, president of the WCRC, and Martin Junge, general secretary of the LWF
Jerry Pillay, president of the WCRC, and Martin Junge, general secretary of the LWF (2015)

WCRC deepens relationship with Lutherans

 — May 21, 201521 mai 2015
compiled from the WCRC website

The executive committee of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) has concluded its meeting in Lebanon.

The executive warmly welcomed Martin Junge, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), to its meeting. “The Reformation, this we have been stressing as we journey towards the [500th] anniversary [in 2017], does not belong exclusively to Lutherans,” he said. “It calls us indeed to reflect how we, Reformed and Lutherans, intend to give expression to our shared sense of ownership of reformation, while expressing at the same time the distinctiveness of our theological and spiritual profiles.”

Building on a successful series of dialogues between the WCRC and LWF, the executive committee is seeking to move from dialogue to implementation as an expression of visible unity and an embodiment of the Lund Principle on the global level between the organizations. The Lund Principle affirms that churches should act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately.

Two processes will push this goal ahead. One will look toward the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and will include specific proposals at the 2016 executive committee meeting. The second will engage in an analysis of the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification,” a theological statement made by both the LWF and the Catholic Church’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, through a series of consultations.

In his address to the executive committee, Jerry Pillay, president of the WCRC, held up both the confessions of Accra and Belhar as documents through which the WCRC can engage in justice and unity. “A living unity, real reconciliation, and caring justice belong integrally together,” Pillay said.

“Our focus on the Accra Confession should help us to remain focused and faithful to our calling in addressing the injustices in the world today,” said Pillay. “It will also help focus us in our desire for unity within the Communion and with others as we continue in the endeavour of Christian unity.”

“Indeed this understanding of justice, peace and reconciliation and unity has deep implications for the WCRC in a variety of ways in how we relate to one another as member churches, how we work towards a true communion as we seek justice, peace and reconciliation and unity among ourselves,” he said.

“We need to put justice at the heart of our communion as we seek to get our ‘hands dirty,’” Pillay said.

In the report of the WCRC general secretary, Chris Ferguson, it was reported that while the current round of Catholic-Reformed dialogue is coming to a conclusion, a new dialogue has begun with Pentecostals and a foundation has been laid to dialogue with Anglicans.

The World Communion of Reformed Churches’ executive committee meets annually to provide oversight to the work of the WCRC, both programmatically and financially. It held its 2015 meeting at the Dhour Choueir Evangelical Conference Center outside of Beirut, Lebanon, under the theme “God of Life, Lead us on your Path of Justice, Peace and Reconciliation.”

Posted: May 21, 2015 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=8522
Categories: News • In this article: Christian unity, dialogue, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches Transmis : 21 mai 2015 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=8522
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : Christian unity, dialogue, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches


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