ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 15, 2007  

Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue Continues 'Hope of Eternal Life' Theme
07-054-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue
in Round XI met March 15-18 at Lutheran Theological Southern
Seminary, Columbia, S.C., for its fourth meeting to discuss "The
Hope of Eternal Life."  The Lutheran and Roman Catholic co-chairs
described the meeting as constructive and precise, helpful to
both Christian traditions as they search for greater mutual
understanding through the dialogue.
     The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops chose the topic at the end of
Round X in 2004, to examine issues related to the Christian's
life beyond death.
     The conversation stems from principles of life-after-death
developed in the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of
Justification," which the Lutheran World Federation and the
Catholic Church signed Oct. 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany.
Dialogue members are considering such issues as purgatory,
indulgences, and masses and prayers for the dead.
     The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, and the Most Rev.
Richard J. Sklba, auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Milwaukee, serve as co-chairs of the U.S.
dialogue.  In addition to members of the ELCA and the Roman
Catholic Church, the dialogue includes two participants from the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
     "The most recent meeting of the dialogue represented another
constructive step in exploring the topic, 'The Hope of Eternal
Life,' from Lutheran and Roman Catholic perspectives," Almen
said.  "Members of the team in this meeting undertook the initial
development of an outline that will guide further discussion and
the possible content of a report to the churches."
     "As is so often the case in such meetings, participants
discover so much of what we hold in common as members of the one
holy catholic and apostolic Church.  We also realize that culture
and practice have shaped in differing ways some expressions of
the faith for Lutherans and Roman Catholics, while the underlying
substance of certain doctrinal convictions is the same for both
churches," Almen said.
     The "long road" of ecumenical dialogue requires untiring,
ongoing commitment, he said, adding that much work remains for
present dialogue team members and for those who will follow.
"Each small step for greater mutual understanding is important,
however, as we strive for salutary ways to reflect more clearly
the unity that we have been granted as baptized sisters and
brothers in Christ," Almen added.
     "The careful precision brought to this past meeting of the
dialogue by the members of each delegation and their knowledge of
history have been a great blessing for all of us," Sklba said.
"Simply tracing the unfolding practices which have marked our
respective Lutheran or Catholic prayers on the occasion of the
death of a believer has brought light to our conversation."
     "While Catholics might place great emphasis on our communal
membership in the body of Christ, the Church, we both trust in
God's saving mercy in Christ," Sklba said.
     Exploring "popular devotion and piety" of each tradition
continues to be helpful in the search for mutual understanding
and reconciliation, he said.  "Church dividing issues seem fewer
in areas under study in Round XI than anticipated," Sklba added.
     Dialogue participants presented and discussed several
reports and papers in their most recent meeting:
     + Dr. Margaret O'Gara, faculty of theology, University of
St. Michael's College, Toronto, and the Rev. Jared Wicks, S.J.
Jesuit community, John Carroll University, University Heights,
Ohio, discussed the possible contents of the Lutheran-Roman
Catholic International Commission Report, "The Apostolicity of
the Church."  Wicks also presented a paper on "Patristic
Witnesses to Christ's Saving Descent to the Dead"
     + The Rev. George Tavard A.A., emeritus professor of
theology, Brighton, Mass., presented a paper on "The Intermediate
State in Byzantine Orthodoxy"
     + Brother Jeffrey Gros F.S.C., professor of church history,
Memphis Theological Seminary, Memphis, Tenn., led a discussion of
Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Constitution, "Indulgentiarum Doctrina"
(1967), "The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy," from
the Roman Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of
the Sacraments (2001), and the statement from the United States
Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine, "Popular Devotional
Practices" (2003).  The Rev. Theodore W. Asta, associate to the
bishop, ELCA New England Synod, Worcester, Mass., led the
Lutheran response to the directory.
     + Dr. David S. Yeago, Lutheran Theological Southern
Seminary, presented "Sanctification and Purification in Lutheran
Theology"
     + Dr. Michael J. Root, ELCA associate in ministry, professor
of systematic theology and dean, Lutheran Theological Southern
Seminary, and Sister Susan K. Wood S.C.L., Department of
Theology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, led a public forum and
discussion about the dialogue at Lutheran Theological Southern
Seminary
     + The Rev. Cheryl M. Peterson, assistant professor of
systematic theology, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio,
presented a paper on "Communal Eschatology and the Communion of
Saints"
     + The Rev. Winston D. Persaud, Wartburg Theological
Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, presented a paper on a "Summary of Round
VIII on How We Understand Prayer for Other People"
     Dialogue participants attended a Roman Catholic liturgy at
St. Joseph Catholic Church and a Lutheran liturgy at Ebenezer
Lutheran Church, both in Columbia.  The next meeting of the
dialogue is planned for Oct. 11-14, 2007, at St. Paul College,
Washington, D.C.
-- -- --
     Information about the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue
is at http://tinyurl.com/34z3jt on the ELCA Web site.

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