December 2010: Pope Benedict XVI and LWF President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan © Servizio Fotografico
Joint Commitment to Quest for Unity of the Church
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has expressed gratitude to Pope Benedict XVI on his last day as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and noted that the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification remains one of the significant outcomes of the ecumenical dialogue between Lutherans and Catholics.
“We felt encouraged by the way you have been promoting the value of profound and honest theological discernment in ecumenical dialogues, because the quest for visible unity of the church belongs also to the foundational vocations of the Lutheran World Federation,” said LWF President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan and LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge in a joint letter to the pope.
In their letter, Younan and Junge said Pope Benedict’s emphasis on the biblical roots of the gospel reminds Lutherans and Catholics that their shared spiritual journey as witnesses of Christ, “cannot but be nurtured from joint reading of the Bible and from joint prayer.”
The LWF leaders added that they cherished the memory of meeting Benedict XVI in December 2010 and the way the pope underscored the shared vocation of Lutherans and Roman Catholics, while urging reflection on their ongoing journey towards unity.
“With your leadership the Roman Catholic Church has strengthened the discussion on new evangelization and challenged also other Christian churches to reflect on their participation in God’s mission in today’s world,” they added.
While initially surprised at the announcement of the pope’s retirement, the president and general secretary said the LWF appreciated the “wisdom and courage” of his decision, which they maintained was rooted in Benedict’s profound commitment and love for the Church of Christ.
“In these days, we are praying for the Roman Catholic Church as it prepares for the papal conclave. Today our prayers are particularly with Your Holiness – may God continue to give you wisdom and his abundant blessings,” they said.
