Benedict XVI to Visit Lutheran Church in Rome

Zenit News Agency ^ | February 18, 2010

[NYer]

>Ecumenical Event Scheduled for March 14

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 18, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI will visit a Lutheran church in Rome for a German-language service in which both he and a Lutheran pastor will give homilies.

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Vatican press office today confirmed that the visit -- previously announced -- will take place March 14.

The president of the unity council, Cardinal Walter Kasper, will participate in the visit.

Rome's Lutheran community had invited the Pope in 2008 to mark the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's visit to the church. The Polish Pontiff's 1983 visit commemorated the 550th anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther (1483-1546).

According to the Lutheran community, Benedict XVI's homily will be on the biblical passage from John: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
 
For his part, Pastor Jens-Martin Kruse will analyze the first chapter of the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, which speaks about Christ's consolation in moments of tribulation.
 
In statements to the NEV agency, Kruse noted his sense of the importance of the visit: "To have the Bishop of Rome among us is a good sign for ecumenism in our city."

Earlier this month, the Holy Father gave a special greeting to a U.S. Lutheran delegation visiting the Vatican. On that occasion, he said he has "been encouraged that relations between Catholics and Lutherans have continued to grow, especially at the level of practical collaboration in the service of the Gospel."

Last year, the 10th anniversary of the joint Catholic-Lutheran declaration on justification was celebrated.

[NYer]

Ping!

[NYer]

Ping!

[Natural Law]

...one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church...

[Dutchboy88]

Maybe he’ll read the 95 theses aloud?

[bjorn14]

I don’t know why he is going, the Vatican still thinks Martin Luther is a heretic.

[Nosterrex]

Maybe the Lutheran pastor could read from the Treatise on the Papacy, as part of the Lutheran Confessions, that call the papacy the Anti-Christ and his followers the kingdom of the Anti-Christ?

[SoCalPol]

>one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church>

In liturgy that is said in the Lutheran Church
Along with Creeds such as Athanasian Creed

[ArrogantBustard]

I look forward to seeing the complete text of their sermons.

I feel quite certain that both Pope Benedict XVI and Pastor Jens-Martin Kruse will be able to discuss matters intelligently, like adults.

[SoCalPol]

one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church...

Is said in the Lutheran Church in liturgy,
Athanasian Creed, etc.

[Natural Law]

"Is said in the Lutheran Church in liturgy,"

That is why I said it. Benedict XVI is doing a lot to realize a universal "catholic" Church.

[lightman]

Lutheran Ping!

Keep a Good Lent!

[SmithL]

...one holy catholic and Apostolic Church...

[xone]

Thank you.

[Mr. Lucky]

Maybe Benedict will disclaim the authority to have heretics put to death and the Lutherans won’t be in such bad mood.

[Elsiejay]

Might the good Benedict also disclaim the validity and utility of offering prayers to persons that are not part of the Trinitarian Godhead?

[RedDogzRule]

I think the Vatican is softening its stance on Luther:

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9021

If you look at Benedict XVI’s activity of late, he’s been meeting with Lutherans and the Eastern Orthodox. He is a VERY shrewd man, and understands more about opposing/conflicting doctrinal issues in Christianity than he openly states. My understanding of reading about all this, is that both he and the Eastern patriarches, for example view the Islamic threat to the West and Europe more immediately, as well as Europe’s spiritual decline as the key critical issues of his papacy and our day. I feel that in many things Christians can agree to disagree without being disagreeable and present a united front against the onslaught of Islam. If the Muslims view us as split and fighting internally, they know they have us on the ropes. That’s not to say we ignore our differences, and no, we don’t have to share communion, but we can fellowship in other ways.

[redgolum]

Or the Pope could read from the various Catholics on FR who have called Luther the son of the devil, possessed, and a potty mouth (well, he was the latter).

Or since we don't look at each other over rifle sights any more, they could try to form a working dialog and actual try to heal the schism before the remnant in Europe of both confessions is destroyed.

I suspect they will do that instead of trading mutual insults.

[Nosterrex]

I do not see how Lutherans and Roman Catholics can heal the schism. The theological differences are far too great to breach. One party would have to abandon its core beliefs, and I do not see the Roman Catholic Church doing that. Confessional Lutheranism in Europe is dead except for a few independent Lutheran denominations. How is Rome going to regulate or control a state church? Does anyone believe that the state run Lutheran churches are going to prohibit women priests or condemn abortion and homosexuality? Most of the state churches are more Reformed and Zwinglian in practice than Lutheran. I do not see anything coming from this.

[Cronos]

My understanding of reading about all this, is that both he and the Eastern patriarches, for example view the Islamic threat to the West and Europe more immediately, as well as Europe’s spiritual decline as the key critical issues of his papacy and our day. I feel that in many things Christians can agree to disagree without being disagreeable and present a united front against the onslaught of Islam. If the Muslims view us as split and fighting internally, they know they have us on the ropes. That’s not to say we ignore our differences, and no, we don’t have to share communion, but we can fellowship in other ways.

Well put. We Catholics disagree with our Lutheran brothers, but we have to recognise these as serious spats, not fights with outsiders. Islam IS the outsider.