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May 22, 2006 Dear friends,
“66 million Lutherans do
make a difference!” That is the first statement in almost any
presentation I give. The Lutheran World Federation does make a
difference in countless ways and in countless places around the globe.
You are part of this difference because of the ELCA’s vital membership
in the LWF. Together we are in mission and ministry around the world.
That ministry is lived out by providing homes and livestock for refugee
families, caring for those dying of AIDS, digging new wells in hot, dry
lands, training lay evangelists at Bible schools, reflecting
theologically, advocating for human rights and building ecumenical
relationships.
We are 66 million
Lutherans in 140 churches in 78 countries and we call ourselves a
“communion of churches.” The nature of the LWF as a communion of
churches is much more than just formal language in the constitution.
The fact that all the member churches of the LWF are in altar and pulpit
fellowship means that we are inseparably related to each other. Through
God’s grace we are able, in solidarity – in “communion”, to share our
pains, joys, burdens and gifts, and in that process begin to understand
what Luther was describing when he explained what occurs through the
sacrament of the altar. “… Through the interchange of Christ’s
blessings and our misfortunes, we become one loaf, one bread, one body,
one drink and have all things in common…in this way we are changed into
one another and are made into a community by love.”
What does it mean for us
to live in communion? How does this vary depending on the setting and
challenges that a church faces? How do we “partner” with one another?
How are we held accountable to one another? How does it influence our
sharing of resources? How does being in communion “shape” the
conversation? How does it change our self-understanding?
Whenever and wherever we
gather in local congregations to hear the Word and celebrate the
sacraments we must be reminded that we do so as part of the communion of
Lutherans worldwide. The wider communion must become more than an
abstract, faceless reality. We must be able to touch, hear, taste and
experience this reality first hand. The communion we share with one
another must become incarnate, in very human, face-to-face kind of
communications and interactions that enrich, test out and deepen what it
truly means to be a communion. What a privilege it is!
One of the priorities of
the communion is our ecumenical work. Through the LWF Office for
Ecumenical Affairs office in Geneva the LWF organizes bilateral
dialogues between the LWF and other Christian world bodies and maintains
relations with multilateral bodies such as the World Council of
Churches.
In 1967 the LWF and the
Vatican began a dialogue that continues today and has resulted in the
Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. Through the
Anglican-Lutheran International Working Group our relationship with the
Anglicans continues to develop. The Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission,
which first met in 1981, is the largest of the ecumenical commissions
involving the LWF as a partner. This commission remains the official
international dialogue between the LWF and Orthodox churches in
communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople. The current
phase of work is on ecclesiology. For a complete description of all the
current dialogues visit the LWF website at
www.lutheranworld.org.
The LWF Department for
Theology and Studies reflects on what it means to live and witness as
Lutheran churches in different contexts around the world including the
shaping of our work with people of other faiths. What does it mean for
Lutherans to relate to people of other faiths? What does it mean to be
the church in ecumenical and global contexts? “Communion” and
“justification” are key topics in the recent work of the department.
66 million Lutherans do
make a difference – in ecumenical work, aid and development, advocacy,
HIV and AIDS ministry and study. We are a communion of churches for the
healing of the world! I urge you to celebrate that in your congregation
and to learn more about the LWF!
Warm regards,
Kathy J. Magnus
LWF North America Desk
www.elca.org/lwf
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