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Pope calls Catholic-Lutheran agreement milestone on journey

October 31, 1999

By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic-Lutheran agreement on justification is ``a milestone along the not easy road of the establishment of full unity among Christians,'' Pope John Paul II said. As representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity were signing the a greement Oct. 31 in Augsburg, Germany, the pope used his midday Angelus address at the Vatican to highlight the importance of the document. ``The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification,'' the pope said, deals with '' one of the principal arguments which set Catholics and Lutherans against one another.'' As one of the documents signed in Augsburg said, ``Justification is forgiveness of sins and being made righteous, through which God imparts the gift of new life in Christ.'' A key dispute during the Protestant formation was whether believers were justified and saved through grace alone or whether salvation required a combination of grace and good works. The Catholic-Lutheran agreement states that justification comes through faith alone, but that good works are an essential sign of true faith. Pope John Paul said the agreement constitutes a sure basis for the continuation of ecumenical theological research and for facing the difficulties which remain with a better founded hope in resolving them in the future.'' ``I want to thank the Lord for this intermediate step along a path which is difficult, but so rich in joy, unity and communion among Christians,'' the pope said. Pope John Paul said the signing, in addition to helping Catholics and Lutherans give a better witness to the love and unity found in Christ, also is ``a precious contribution to the purification of historic memories.'' The signing ceremony in Germany began with a penitential service in Augsburg's Catholic cathedral. Catholics and Lutherans asked for forgiveness for not always having chosen the way of unity within their churches and within their lives. Then, participants walked in a half-mile procession to the Lutheran Church of St. Anne for an ecumenical prayer service. At the end of the service, the joint declaration was signed by Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; German Lutheran Bishop Christian Krause of Brunswick, president of the Lutheran World Federation; and by other Catholic and Lutheran participants. In his homily during the service, Cardinal Cassidy said Christians share the original disciples' call to build the church of Christ. ``Our task is not only to continue the building, but unfortunately we have also the duty of seeking to repair the damage that has been done to that building by the storms, conflicts and, at times, by human-made earthquakes,'' the cardinal said. Cardinal Cassidy said the agreement on justification is a gift from God and moves forward ``in a significant way the work of restoration of unity among the followers of Christ.'' The task of continuing the dialogue is urgent, he said. ``Our lack of love for one another, brothers and sisters in the one Lord Jesus Christ, destroys the credibility of our preaching the Gospel of love,'' the cardinal said. At an Oct. 29 press conference in Augsburg, the Rev. Ishmael Noko, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, said love must mark relations between Catholics and Lutherans everywhere. ``Wherever Lutherans and Roman Catholics live together, let the world know that they are not enemies, but sisters and brothers,'' he said. Bishop Krause told the press conference that in the 30-year Catholic-Lutheran dialogue, '`Trust and hope have increased and we have learned that that which binds us together is stronger than what distinguishes or separates us from each other.'' The work of the dialogue must continue so that someday Catholics and Lutherans can be guests at each other's Eucharist, he said. In addition, the Lutheran bishop said, the fruits of the dialogue must become concrete in joint efforts to help people in need. Cardinal Cassidy told the press conference it was an honor to sign the agreement on behalf of the Vatican. ``If on the day of judgment I have nothing else to present to the Lord when he asks me, `Did you do anything good during your life?' I can say I signed the joint declaration,'' the cardinal said.