From an Ancient European Conflict to Communion - Joint Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration of the 500:th anniversary of the reformation

EUROPEAN LETTER of the European Society Coudenhove-Kalergi Secretary General Heinz Wimpissinger Article author: Johannes Jörgensen, theologian, Lund Perennially Christianity is pointed out as a central pillar of European culture. Unity in diversity is a leitmotif of the European Union. This is also the basic idea of ecumenism. Today's tolerance-thinking allows in an exemplary way to approach each other after initially terrible religious disputes followed by bloody-political wars. This joint meeting took place on 31 of October 2016 in Lund. There was founded the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for 50 years ago. Global hosts were the LWF and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. This first meeting of Lutherans and Catholics to commemorate together the reformation was a historical event. The focus was on unity, repentance and common action promoting peace and justice. In the presence of the Pope and the President and Secretary General of the LWF in the common prayer in the cathedral of Lund the following statement was made: “Lutherans and Catholics often focused on what separated them from each other rather than looking for what united them. They accepted that the gospel was mixed with the political and economic interests of those in power. Their failures resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. We deeply regret the evil things that Catholics and Lutherans have mutually done to each other”1. The meeting resulted in five common commitments and the signing of a Declaration of Intent between Caritas International and LWF World Service. 1. Catholics and Lutherans should always begin from the perspective of unity and not from the point of view of division in order to strengthen what is held in common even though the differences are more easily seen and experienced. 2. Lutherans and Catholics must let themselves continuously be transformed by the encounter with the other and by the mutual witness of faith. 3. Catholics and Lutherans should again commit themselves to seek visible unity, to elaborate together what this means in concrete steps, and to strive repeatedly toward this goal. 4. Luherans and Catholics should jointly rediscover the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ for our time. 5. Catholics and Lutherans should witness together to the mercy of God in proclamation and service to the world”2. During the ceremony in Malmö Arena several strong testimonies were given from people struggling for the rights of the oppressed and persecuted. One of them was the bishop of Aleppo. These texts show how Lutherans and Catholics are at the center of a world marked by big challenges. The parallels to the present situation within the EU and around the world are obvious and need no comments. There is an urgent need for such common commitments in words, prayers and action. Rose Lokonyen from South Sudan, just now living as a refugee in Kenja, has summarized the spirit of the meeting in the following prayer: “O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace”3.