1982-01 A Resolution on Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue

RESOLUTION: ROMAN CATHOLIC/ LUTHERAN DIALOGUE

St. Paul pointed out to the Ephesians, “Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together, “ for “ There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:3, 5). Despite this mandate, we see Christ’s one Church fragmented by the events of history into many denominational branches. We confess our part today in furthering the sin of separation. It is, therefore, our responsibility to obey Paul’s injunction for unity.

We recognize the special relationship which the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches share with each other. Indeed the Church of the Augsburg Confession has descended from the Church of Rome. We joyfully profess that Lutherans have maintained this kinship through theological and liturgical preservation of our Roman Catholic heritage, since it was the wish of our founders that we change as little as possible from the mother church.

Furthermore, recent advances have brought our two communions ever closer. Specifically, American Lutheranism has experienced a liturgical and sacramental renewal in recent years. We also observe with great delight concurrent reforms within the Roman Catholic Church through the efforts of our Brother John XXIII, Bishop of Rome, Paul VI his successor, and the Second Vatican Council, and give thanks for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in the adoption of that Council of its Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio (21 November 1964). The decree acknowledges, “Even in spite of them (differences between the Roman Catholic Church and other Christians) it remains true that all who have been justified by faith in baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church.”

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT;

LSM-USA supports the official Lutheran/ Roman Catholic dialogue.

LSM-USA holds at each national assembly an interest group on ecumenism to be organized by the LSM assembly planning committee. If at some future assembly, interest groups are no longer held at the national conference, the National Council shall decide an appropriate course of action.

Lutheran students and lSM-USA affiliated groups be encouraged to participate and organize joint Bible studies, prayer services, discussion groups and/ or other expressions of Christian fellowship with Roman Catholics.

Lutheran students and LSM-USA affiliated groups be encouraged to inform and invite Roman Catholic chaplaincies to national, regional, and local LSM events. LSM members should welcome and encourage participation in LSM activities by Roman Catholic friends.

Members of LSM-USA commit themselves to prayer for Christian unity and allow the Holy Spirit to open their hearts to their own shortcomings and the values of their Christian brothers and sisters.

All LSM members should wherever possible apply the Decree on Ecumenism, quoted below, to their own lives, especially in

Taking “an active and intelligent part in the work of ecumenism”;
Making “every effort to avoid expressions, judgments and actions which do not represent the condition of our separated brethren with truth and fairness and so make mutual relationship with them more difficult”;
Engaging “in that more intensive cooperation in carrying out any duties for the good of humanity which are demanded by every Christian conscience”;
Examining “their own faithfulness to Christ’s will for the Church”;
Letting “charity prevail in all things”;
Remembering to “gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments fro our common heritage which are to be found among our separated brethren”.