Lutheran Leaders Invite Pope to Play a Part in Their 500th Anniversary

The Underground ^ | 12/30/10

[marshmallow]

The Lutheran World Federation invited recently Pope Benedict XVI to be involved in preparations for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

LWF president Bishop Munib Younan, along with a seven-member delegation, invited Benedict during their papal audience in the Vatican. Younan said he hoped that by 2017, the LWF anniversary year, they can issue a joint statement on the doctrine of Holy Communion, The Christian Century reported.

According to The Christian Century, prior to the meeting Younan said, “Our intention is to arrive at 2017 with a common Roman Catholic-Lutheran declaration on Eucharistic hospitality.”

Younan said under such an agreement, Lutherans would be able to receive communion at a Catholic mass, and Catholics would also be able to receive communion at Lutheran services, The Christian Century said.

During the papal audience Younan invited Benedict “to work together with us in preparing this anniversary, so that in 2017 we are closer to sharing in the Bread of Life than we are today,” Vatican Radio reported.

Younan said to the pope, “[W]e intend our anniversary to be ecumenically accountable: to recognise both damaging aspects of the Reformation and ecumenical progress since the last major Reformation anniversary. But we cannot achieve this ecumenical accountability on our own, without your help,” Christian Today reported.

According to Vatican Radio, Benedict lauded the “many significant fruits” that were borne through Catholic-Lutheran talks, which have been ongoing for decades. Benedict said, “Catholics and Lutherans are called to reflect anew on where our journey towards unity has led us and to implore the Lord’s guidance and help for the future.

[kearnyirish2]

“That noted, putting aside old divisions would lead to a united Christian front composed of the Roman Catholic church and other churches as independent allies - a Christian answer to the “coalition of the willing.””

This could never happen, as I see more “Christianity” in Orthodox Judaism or Islam than I see in the far-left “Christian” churches. Roman Catholics probably have more in common with the former than the latter; Catholics that see Christ in those “far-left churches” certainly aren’t in union with Rome or Christ.

[redgolum]

That is kind of funny.

[Cronos]

funny and yet sad — it’s time to re-evangelize W. Europe

[redgolum]

The thing is that WELS and LCMS would not be welcome there. There are synods that we are in communion with in Germany and Scandanavia, but they are restricted by the state (the state churchs don’t like them).

It may be the Orthodox who have the best shot.

[Cronos]

Ah yes, the damned state rules for registration. Yes, the Orthodox may have the best shot. Now we got to get them to actively evangelize in Germania and Scandanavia!