Posted on 11/02/2015 8:58:07 AM PST by ebb tide
Drawing on 50 years of national and international dialogue, Lutherans and Catholics together have issued the "Declaration on the Way: Church, Ministry and Eucharist," a unique ecumenical document that marks a pathway toward greater visible unity between Catholics and Lutherans. The October 30 release of the document comes on the eve of the anniversary of Martin Luther's posting the 95 Theses, which sparked the Protestant Reformation.
"Pope Francis in his recent visit to the United States emphasized again and again the need for and importance of dialogue. This Declaration on the Way represents in concrete form an opportunity for Lutherans and Catholics to join together now in a unifying manner on a way finally to full communion," said Bishop Denis J. Madden, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Catholic co-chair of the task force creating the declaration.
"Five hundred years ago wars were fought over the very issues about which Lutherans and Roman Catholics have now achieved consensus," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton. "Church, ministry and Eucharist have been areas of disagreement and even separation between our two churches, and we still have work to do both theologically and pastorally as we examine the questions. The declaration is so exciting because it shows us 32 important points where already we can say there are not church-dividing issues between us, and it gives us both hope and direction for the future," she said.
At the heart of the document are 32 "Statements of Agreement" where Lutherans and Catholics already have points of convergence on topics about church, ministry and Eucharist. These agreements signal that Catholics and Lutherans are indeed 'on the way' to full, visible unity. As 2017 approaces, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, this witness to growing unity gives a powerful message to a world where conflict and division often seem to drown out more positive messages of hope and reconciliation The document also indicates differences still remaining between Lutherans and Catholics and indicates possible ways forward.
In October both the ELCA Conference of Bishops—an advisory body of the church—and the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) received and unanimously affirmed the 32 Agreements. ELCA bishops requested that the ELCA Church Council accept them and forward the entire document to the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the denomination's highest legislative body.
The document seeks reception of the Statement of Agreements from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU). The LWF is a global communion of 145 churches in 98 countries worldwide. The ELCA is the communion's only member church from the United States.
The conclusion invites the PCPCU and the LWF to create a process and timetable for addressing the remaining issues. It also suggests that the expansion of opportunities for Lutherans and Catholics to receive Holy Communion together would be a sign of the agreements already reached. The Declaration also seeks a commitment to deeper connection at the local level for Catholics and Lutherans.
In December 2011, Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the PCPCU, proposed a declaration to seal in agreements in the areas of the church, ministry and the Eucharist. The ELCA and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops responded to the Cardinal's proposal by identifying Catholic and Lutheran scholars and leaders to produce the declaration, drawing principally on the statements of international dialogue commissions sponsored by the LWF and the PCPCU and a range of regional dialogues, including those in the United States.
A significant outcome of the Lutheran-Catholic dialogue in the United States and internationally is the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), signed in 1999 in Augsburg, Germany. With the JDDJ, the LWF and the Catholic Church agreed to a common understanding of the doctrine of justification and declared that certain 16th century condemnations of each other no longer apply.
It (ELCA) is also a church that actively supports Islamism and the destruction of Israel, and is already in in full communion/cooperation with the Episcopalians.
Looks like the USCCB likes everybody except that Jesus guy and his book.
Mr. niteowl77
I wish these bobble-headed RC Bishop were romancing the LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) instead. LCMS is, as a body, far more in line with respectable doctrine and discipline. We could sure benefit from that.
Actually, this isn’t surprising in the least.
Keep in mind, this is the ELCA being referred to as “Lutherans.” The ELCA is an apostate, LINO, pseudo-Lutheran group.
E.L.C.A.
Tune: “Y.M.C.A.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k
“Luth’ran”
Doesn’t mean quite the same
As what you’ve been
Taught to know by that name.
We’re removin’
All the scandal and shame
Of a church that stands for something.
Luth’ran,
No, you’re not misinformed,
Yes, it’s true now,
We commune the Reformed.
No forced union
Made us bow or conform,
Just a warm and fuzzy feeling.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
We have women in black,
Now there’s no turning back
To the hang-ups of dead white guys.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
You can set yourself free
From dead orthodoxy,
You can do whatever you please.
Luth’ran,
Won’t you please come along
To the Elca,
Where’s there’s no right or wrong.
In the Elca,
Heretics can belong,
They can teach at seminary.
“Luth’ran,”
But our fingers were crossed,
All our doctrine
Has been totally lost.
All that’s Luth’ran
Is what we have embossed
On our cards and stationery.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
We have women in black,
Now there’s no turning back
To the hang-ups of dead white guys.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
You can set yourself free
From dead orthodoxy,
You can do whatever you please.
Elca,
Where it’s very uncouth
And unwelcome
To say you have the truth
And where seldom
Is a word ever heard
To discourage sin or error.
Elca,
Where it’s all shades of gray,
I said, Elca,
Where it’s hip to be gay.
Our umbrella
Is as big as a tent,
There’s no need for you to repent.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
We have women in black,
Now there’s no turning back
To the hang-ups of dead white guys.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
It’s fun to be in the E.L.C.A.
You can set yourself free
From dead orthodoxy,
You can do whatever you please. . . .
WHAT will Garrison Keeler do NOW !!???
Within hours she was in an LCMS congregation and felt like she was in a real church again, instead of a secular social justice fundraiser. The USCCB should be avoiding the ELCA like the plague.
Mr. niteowl77
Confusing. Thought that the Lutherans and Episcopalians had merged. So this is a fringe “lutheran” group and crazy psuedo catholics “getting together”.
Whatever it takes to make the ELCA go away. They are not even Christian, don’t follow any of Luther’s teachings, wouldn’t recognize God’s word if it stared them in the face.
I am ready for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to stop be lumped in with these heretics by association of using, in this case, misusing, Luther’s name.
So ELCA just go away - merge with whoever will take you, but just go away and stop misusing Luther’s name.
One cult joining another.
“Keep in mind, this is the ELCA being referred to as “Lutherans.†The ELCA is an apostate, LINO, pseudo-Lutheran group.”
It’s funny you say that considering many members of WELS and CLC would say the same thing about the LCMS. And some LCMS members think there’s something wrong with WELS and CLC.
As one LCMS pastor put it:
“The history behind the break between the LCMS and the WELS was that from the 40s on through the 60s, the LCMS became increasingly liberal, as it adopted a higher critical hermeneutic (in contrast to the historical grammatical hermeneutic which we both again now use). At that time, things like the creation account and Jonah and the Whale were discarded by some LCMS professors and pastors as “metaphoricalâ€, and in some cases, even central doctrines like the resurrection of the Body were denied. Citing Romans 16:17, the WELS withdrew fellowship in 1961. While some could say that it wasn’t until the 1973 convention where the LCMS settled this matter (at least in adopting its Scriptural and Confessional Principles), there still has been quite a bit of fallout that has yet to be cleaned up.”
http://www.worldvieweverlasting.com/2011/06/09/wels-and-the-lcms/
Also, you might want to check with your own leadership. LCMS quietly sent a delegation to the Vatican just within the last year or two. You might want to ask those running the LCMS why that happened.
That pretty much sums them up...
My sister’s family was gone within the day after the homo pastor’s vote. They were in leadership and substantial tithers. The female pastor did not bat an eye.
LOL! One of your BEST parodies ever! BTW, have you ever heard from the E.L.C.A. folks about your song?
He really had NO idea that he was the cornerstone of a reformation of any kind, let alone the cornerstone of the plethora of Protestant denominations. There isn't much to protest any more vis a vis the Catholic Church. I hope he's in heaven.
By the way, I'm Catholic.
Both are Christian churches in the family of the Christian faith.
I am a LCMS Lutheran.
The ELCA is not Christian anymore. It doesn’t even pretend to be at seminary.
If the Catholic church embraces them...
Perhaps that is your opinion.
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