Bonds of Communion. Risto Cantell. What keeps the Nordic Churches together? Ecclesiological Symmetries and A-symmetries

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1 Risto Cantell Bonds of Communion. What keeps the Nordic Churches together? Ecclesiological Symmetries and A-symmetries 1. Heritage of the undivided and medieval Church What keeps the Nordic Churches together? My first answer to that question - and may be the most decisive one - is that the common Christian tradition was brought here by the medieval Roman Catholic mission - approximately at the same time - and has remained in all Nordic Churches. There are certainly some differences in the understanding and practising of the tradition of the Old and undivided Church, but nevertheless: in our churches we are sharing the unbroken continuity of the Christian faith, mission and ministry since medieval times. That keeps us together. The medieval heritage is vivid in all Nordic Lutheran Churches and also in other Churches in this part of the world. All churches in the Nordic countries are influenced by the presence of the Lutheran majority churches. To Finland the Christian faith came at the same time both from East and West. The Orthodox influence is greater in Finland and in Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland than in other Nordic countries and Lutheran Churches. But the influence of Orthodox spirituality already in medieval times is clear also elsewhere in the Nordic countries, e.g. in Sigtuna and Visby. The origin and the roots of the continuity of the Church are in Jesus Christ himself and his apostles. The aim of reformation was to renew the existing Western Roman Catholic Church, not to split her and the common understanding is that Luther was not founding a new church. To all Nordic Lutheran Churches the existence of the medieval Church buildings, the worship and prayer books and some liturgical practices are an integral part of their Lutheran and Catholic identity, although not always consciously reflected. The old beautiful Cathedrals in Lund, Trondheim (Nidaros), Uppsala, Turku (Åbo) and Aarhus (Århus) are spiritually utmost important for the respective churches. At the same time those Cathedrals are cultural historical monuments, holy places for visitors and rooms for worshipping communities. The Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have basically a similar culture, political systems and welfare societies that make people looking at us from outside saying: that region is a very uniform region. However, there are many differences as well. My aim is to deliberate what are the Bonds of Communion. And by communion I will concentrate on the Lutheran Communion and on the Porvoo Communion. 1

2 All Nordic Lutheran Churches are nowadays full members of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and of the Porvoo Communion. LWF added some years ago to its name the words - A Communion of Churches so now it reads: Lutheran World Federation A Communion of Churches. There are also some theological and especially ecclesiological factors which keep the Nordic Lutheran Churches together. What is most decisive to the Nordic Lutheran churches? To be 1. a confessional Lutheran church? or 2. a majority church? or 3. a folk church in the form of a state church or an established church or an independent church with some special relations to the state? This special relation can be e.g. the possibility to collect membership fees as church taxes or in a similar/ corresponding way. Many other churches define themselves by saying that they are independent, free churches, without any direct relation to the state, neither state nor folk churches. Nowadays the situation is more complex than before because of new legislations regarding religious freedom and because of the recent developments towards a more pluralistic, multi-value, multi-cultural and multi-religious society. 2. Lutheran Reformation The second binding factor is the Lutheran Reformation in the beginning of the 16th century. Although there were some national differences in the reformation process, the main content of the renewal and the changes were quite similar. The worship language changed from Latin to mother tongues. The Lutheran reformators (Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon) meant that the Holy Bible should be translated to everyone s language and given to the hands of everybody. The Word of God became a real authority for the whole Church and for every Christian. The relation to the Holy See was broken while the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church rejected the proposals of the reformation and the conflict between Wittenberg and Rome could not be solved. The role as the leader of the Church was taken over by the kings and that was the beginning of the Nordic State Church system, which in a special way reflects the Westphalian peace agreement principle cuius regio eius religio (whose region, his religion). The religion of the leader is the religion of his people. The religious freedom was at that time not understood in the same way as nowadays. The reformation in the Nordic churches caused many changes in the societies. Kings and rulers promoted their own political and economic purposes. King Gustav Vasa of Sweden promoted a separation between the Swedish church and the Roman Catholic Church and supported the rejection of the authority of the pope as the head of the universal Church. One great implication of the reformation s ideas was the advanced school- and education system which developed soon after the reformation in all Nordic countries. 2

3 Lutheran Churches took the responsibility of education (school) and social care (diaconia). This became a big impulse towards the development of the Nordic welfare society. In the process of the reformation were also some important differences in the Nordic churches. The Churches in Sweden and Finland kept the episcopal structure of the Church and the bishop s office in unbroken continuation with the medieval Catholic Church. In Denmark and Norway the episcopal succession was broken but the church-life in the parishes continued. The ordinations were conducted by deans or superintendents and the historic bishops sees were used as practical tools for the Church leadership in new circumstances. In Sweden and Finland the reformation was understood primarily as a needed renewal of the Church. The process was led by Olaus Petri, Laurentius Petri and Mikael Agricola. King Gustav Vasa used the reformation as a tool to strengthen the role of the state in the religious field. The Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala Laurentius Petri emphasized in his Church Order (1571) that the bishop s office is given by the Holy Spirit and will remain in the Church to the end of ages. When Mikael Agricola, the 25th Bishop of Turku conducted the first Eucharist mass in Turku Cathedral after his episcopal consecration (1554) he was wearing the full episcopal liturgical dress including the bishop s mitre and cope. The centuries after the reformation were the times of Lutheran orthodoxy and increased concentration on the doctrine and the development of the confessional identity. The emphasis was on the Christian education and on the establishment of the parish life structures. The prereformation medieval catholic spirituality was vivid among ordinary people and to a great extent in the masses and other worships especially in Sweden and Finland. At the same time the State Church system was strengthened in all Nordic countries. Seen from the secular authorities points of view the Churches were an integral part of the official state structure. The kings were the heads of the church, appointing bishops and having a lot to say in the internal matters of the church. 3. Nordic togetherness and challenges Today all our churches are facing the same challenges of the Nordic region where the cultural, sociological and political context is very much the same. Finland and Iceland are republics, Denmark, Norway and Sweden are monarchies, but all are democratic societies. Denmark, Finland and Sweden are members of the European Union, Iceland and Norway not. Finland s currency is Euro; the others have their own currencies. Denmark, Iceland and Norway are NATO-countries (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), Finland and Sweden are neutral states outside any military alliance. A basic question and great challenge for the Nordic Folk Churches is to find and keep a balance in the relation between the universality of the Church and the ethnicity and nationality of the peoples. The established churches are always risking to concentrate more upon the national or internal issues than upon the search for the visible unity of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. 3

4 Nordic countries are affluent well fare societies, where democratic principles, human rights, religious freedom, rule of law, solidarity, equality and rights of minorities are respected. Our societies are increasingly becoming more heterogeneous, multi-religious and multi-values societies. How to maintain the Nordic social well fare society and open free tolerant society in a pluralistic world with global finance crisis? How to keep in balance the justified rights of the minorities and of the vast majority? How to preserve and fulfill the Christian heritage of the majority churches without neglecting the rights of minorities? How to make our new citizens feel at home and at the same time keep their own identities? Here we could learn from each other and from the experiences of the migrants. The increasing diversity and plurality in our societies could is a challenge to us much more a challenge than a problem. 4. Symmetries and Asymmetries Among the Nordic Lutheran Folk Churches are interesting symmetries and asymmetries that also make us ask the serious question: What keeps the Nordic Churches together? Is it the same faith or the same context or something else? What is the role of the common challenges and same problems? A. Church and State All Nordic Lutheran Churches used to be State Churches. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland was the first one to loosen the ties with the state. In the time of the autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian empire Evangelical Lutheran Church used the possibilities to increase her independence of the state. Later on, in the independent Republic of Finland after 1917 the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has gradually increased her autonomous position in the Finnish society. The last formal ties the nomination of the bishops by the state president and the salaries of the bishops and the costs of diocesan chapters paid by the state were broken in year Already before 2000 the Church had her own administration, church legislation, decision making, economy and activity. Church of Sweden was until year 2000 a State Church. The position of Church of Sweden is in principle the same as that of the ELCF in Finland. However, in practice the state church mentality is built in into the Church of Sweden. A vast majority of the 251 members of the General Synod (Kyrkomötet) the highest decision making bodies are politically elected and represent political parties. The bishops are not voting members of the General Synod. It seems to be self-evident that if the Swedish Parliament decides something concerning human beings and ethics the Church will later adopt the same principles in their decision making not because the Church is obliged to do so, but because of the state-church mentality and political composition of the synod. That was the way e.g. how the Church of Sweden accepted the blessing of same sex couples and the gender neutral marriage in the Church. The other three Nordic Lutheran Churches are still State Churches. There are some differences in their relations to the state and to the political communities, but basically they are more dependent 4

5 on the state than Finnish and Swedish Lutheran Churches. Still, they do of course see themselves more as Christian churches than as state institutions for religious purposes. In this connection I would like to deliberate further the difficult and delicate issue of family, marriage and human sexuality. This complex of inter-related issues is a common challenge and problem to all Nordic churches and a burning issue also in many other churches world-wide. This is not only related to the state and church connections, but is a much larger both ethical and doctrinal issue. Churches are facing two critical challenges: 1. How to respond to the pleas concerning blessing of the same sex relations? 2. How to respond to the issue of a gender neutral marriage in the church in relation to a Christian marriage understanding? Nordic Lutheran Churches answers to these questions differ and cause tensions between the churches and within the churches. It is a church dividing issue. Same-sex marriage became legal in Norway on January 1, 2009 when a gender neutral marriage bill was enacted after being passed by the Norwegian legislature in June Norway was the first Scandinavian country and the sixth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. Registered partnerships for gay and lesbian couples were introduced in Iceland in This legislation was later replaced with the passing of the gender-neutral marriage law. In all Nordic Lutheran Churches are ongoing discussions about the relations between church and state and the identity of the church in national state with changing values. B. Porvoo Communion The Porvoo Declaration was signed in three festival Eucharist masses 1996 in Trondheim (Nidaros Cathedral), Tallinn (St. Mary Cathedral) and London (Westminster Abbey) by the Anglican Churches of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Nordic and Baltic Lutheran Churches of Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania. The Danish and Latvian Lutheran Churches did not sign the declaration, although they were active participants in the preparation process. After the signing they participated in the Porvoo Communion as observers. In 2009 The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark decided to became a full member of the Porvoo Communion and signed the Porvoo Declaration By doing so they added a declaration of their understanding of the meaning of joining the Porvoo Communion. All Nordic Lutheran Churches are now full members of the Porvoo Communion. Their understanding of the communion differs however. According to the declaration the signatory churches: acknowledge that the episcopal office is valued and maintained in all our churches as a visible sign expressing and serving the Church's unity and continuity in apostolic life, mission and ministry 1 And further the signatory churches commit themselves e.g. 1 Porvoo Declaration a.vi 5

6 to welcome persons episcopally ordained in any of our churches to the office of bishop, priest or deacon to serve, by invitation and in accordance with any regulations which may from time to time be in force, in that ministry in the receiving church without re-ordination; to invite one another's bishops normally to participate in the laying on of hands at the ordination of bishops as a sign of the unity and continuity of the Church; to work towards a common understanding of diaconal ministry 2. These commitments concerning the episcopal ministry have not been genuinely fulfilled by the Church of Norway, where the ordination by deans has continued even after the signing of the Porvoo Declaration. 3 The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark seems to have an unclear understanding of the nature and character of the episcopal ministry. Dr. Jorgen Skov Sorensen, General Secretary of the Council on International Relations of the ELCD expressed recently in the Porvoo Communion Research Network Conference in Copenhagen that the Danish bishops are actually not bishops, but rather super-intendents. They have the title bishop but are theologically in same position as any ordained minister of the church. The Porvoo Declaration s commitment to work towards a common understanding of diaconal ministry has been taken seriously in almost all Porvoo Communion churches. There has also been a significant convergence in this understanding as Rev. Dr. Tiit Pädam has shown in his dissertation Ordination of Deacons in the Churches of the Porvoo Communion 4. C. Leuenberg Agreement Nordic Lutheran Churches differ in their relations to the Leuenberg Agreement (Leuenberger Konkordie) and to the Communion of the Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE, GEKE). Because of theological reasons the Finnish and Swedish Lutheran Churches have not signed the Leuenberg Agreement. Now, after the signing of the Porvoo Declaration it seems even more unlikely to expect them to do so. The Lutheran Folk Churches of Norway (2000) and of Denmark (2001) signed the Leuenberg Agreement. The document Signatory's Protocol by the Church of Norway on the Signing of The Agreement between Reformation Churches in Europe (Leuenberg Agreement) explains why the 2 Porvoo Declaration b.v-vii 3 I was advised in the Sigtuna Conference that this sentence in my paper These commitments concerning the episcopal ministry have not been genuinely fulfilled by the Church of Norway, where the ordination by deans has continued even after the signing of the Porvoo Declaration is no more correct, because the Church of Norway (in the Bishops Conference?) has decided that all ordinations will be conducted in the Church by bishops. I apologize my wrong expression. RC 4 Tiit Pädam, Ordination of Deacons in the Churches of the Porvoo Communion. A Comparative Investigation in Ecclesiology. Uppsala

7 Church of Norway signed the Leuenberg Agreement and explains the understanding of the Porvoo Communion and Leuenberg fellowship: In the Porvoo agreement, the Church of Norway has stated, together with the other Porvoo signatory churches, that fellowship in word and sacrament is made explicit through the ministry of oversight which is exercised by the pastoral ministry in the church and by the ministry of bishops on whom the ministry of oversight is bestowed in a particular way. Together, these are an outward sign of church unity. Both through ecumenical dialogue and through our own church history we have learned to value this tradition. The role of the episcopal ministry in the Church of Norway has facilitated the achievement of church fellowship with Anglican churches. This does not for us preclude recognition of other churches which do not have an episcopal ministry, or the possibility of full church fellowship with such churches. 5 The Danish Church s explanation of the signing of the Leuenberg Agreement is in a letter which states: what the ELCD understands as its obligation as a member church of the Leuenberg fellowship. In the declaration the ELCD expresses its positive evaluation of the Leuenberg Agreement emphasizing its wish to join the LCF on equal terms with the other churches that are members. 6 The Communion of the Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE, GEKE) calls the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Church of Sweden and Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, who have not signed the Leuenberg Agreement, Participating Churches. The Communion of the Protestant Churches in Europe include in Participating Churches also Mission Covenant Church of Sweden. Some Anglican Churches in the Porvoo Communion have politely but sharply asked, how is it theologically possible to sign both the Porvoo Declaration and the Leuenberg Agreement. From an Anglican point of view that seems to be incompatible and to represent different ecumenical concepts of the unity of the Church. Cardinal Walter Kasper, the former president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, has several times expressed the same concern of the Roman Catholic Church. That fact raises according to his understanding the crucial question about the reality of the Lutheran Communion, while there seems to be fundamental differences in understanding of the unity of the Church among various Lutheran churches. D. Lutheran Roman Catholic dialogue and relations All Nordic Lutheran Churches have good relations to the Roman Catholic Church in their countries. Especially close are the relations in Finland and in Sweden. Pope John Paul II paid in June 1989 an ecumenical and pastoral visit to all Nordic countries. He was particularly warmly welcomed in

8 Finland and in Sweden. In October 1991 the Archbishops of Turku and Uppsala 7 made a return visit to Rome, where they participated in the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the canonization of St Birgitta. Together with the Pope and the catholic bishops of Helsinki and Stockholm 8 they officiated in an ecumenical Vesper at the main altar of St Peter s Basilica. Two years later (1993) Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity proposed in his lecture at the Lutheran Jubilee Year of the Synod at Uppsala that the Lutheran Churches in Sweden and Finland should embark on a dialogue with the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Helsinki and Stockholm on the church and the ordained ministry. The Pontifical Council would be happy to support such a dialogue, he said. Archbishop John Vikström responded positively to the proposal the Archbishops Uppsala and Turku 9 visited Rome. They and Cardinal Edward Cassidy appointed a working group to prepare this dialogue consisting of Chief Theological Secretary of the Church of Sweden, Ragnar Persenius, Executive Director of the Department for International Affairs Risto Cantell (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland), Father Henrik Roelvink OFM (Catholic Diocese of Stockholm) and Monsignor Heinz-Albert Raem (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity). It became clear that the Lutheran Churches of Norway and Denmark were interested in participating in the dialogue. The Working Group considered the matter and suggested to the Nordic Roman Catholic Bishops Conference that the Lutheran Churches and the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the Nordic countries should begin doctrinal conversations on the church and the ordained ministry. The Bishops Conference replied that, if it was necessary for the internal unity of the Lutheran Churches, it was prepared to engage in such conversations, but in its view, the original proposal by Cardinal Cassidy to begin a Finnish-Swedish dialogue was preferable. The All-Nordic dialogue did however not take place, mainly due to the great differences that pertain to the ecumenical situation in the various Nordic countries. The joint meeting of the Nordic Catholic Bishops Conference and the leading Bishops of the Evangelical-Lutheran Churches (the so-called Primates Meeting) therefore proposed that a separate Lutheran-Catholic doctrinal conversation should be pursued locally in all the Nordic countries. Not an All-Nordic Lutheran- Roman Catholic dialogue. The Evangelical-Lutheran Churches in Finland and Sweden entered with the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Helsinki and Stockholm a joint Finnish-Swedish dialogue on doctrine. The motivation behind this decision was the common history of these churches and countries. That dialogue Roman Catholic Lutheran Dialogue between the Catholic dioceses of Stockholm and Helsinki and the Lutheran Churches of Sweden and Finland started 2002 and ended 2009 with the final report Justification in the life of the Church. A Report from the Roman Catholic Lutheran Dialogues Group for Sweden and Finland. Uppsala, Stockholm and Helsinki 2010). The Report attempts to give a joint answer to the theological issues concerning salvation in the thinking John Vikström and Bertil Werkström Paul Verschuren and Hubertus Brandenburg Gunnar Weman and John Vikström 8

9 and the life of the church. It was a regional dialogue and the answer is given with reference to the Finnish-Swedish context. of Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. 10 What keeps the Nordic Churches together? Although there is much that keeps the Nordic Churches together and there are bonds of communion among the Lutheran Churches, the question what keeps the Nordic Churches together? is valid. It is not self-evident that there is a real Communion of the Nordic Lutheran Churches, which will be deepened and strengthened in the future. The present stage of this communion - if it even exists - is weak and vulnerable. It can also very easily break up, because of the present diversities and tensions within and between them. Instead of any firm conviction about the bonds of unity and description of what keeps the Nordic Churches together I will outline some basic ecclesiological factors which could maintain and strengthen the Communion of the Nordic Lutheran Churches: 1. Lutheran identity; 2. Ecumenical strategy; 3. Classical Christian faith; 4. Understanding of the sacramental character of the Church and 5. Episcopal structure of the Church. 1. Strong Lutheran identity needs to be taken seriously. On the basis of the same Lutheran Confession there is - or at least should be - a strong Lutheran identity in the Nordic Churches. This identity needs to be taken seriously. It implicates e.g. that each Lutheran Church knows what she is and wants to be. To the Lutheran identity belongs faithfulness to the Lutheran confession and a deep ecumenical commitment. To be Lutheran is to be ecumenical. Ecumenical commitment and openness are an integral part of the Lutheran confessional identity. Lutheran confession includes also the old church heritage and classical Christian doctrine as it is clearly stated in the Augsburg Confession. (Una sancta ecclesia perpetua mansura sit, CA VII). 2. Every Nordic Lutheran Church needs her own well prepared and officially adopted ecumenical strategy. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has 2009 adopted the document Our Church A community that seeks unity. The ecumenical strategy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland until the year Ecumenical strategy of a church is not only a written paper, but primarily carefully thought guidelines and principles which are consequently put into practice in the church s ordinary life, teaching and action. 10 Justification in the Life of the Church. A Report from the Roman Catholic Lutheran dialogue for Sweden and Finland. Uppsala, Stockholm and Helsinki Our Church. A community that seeks unity. The ecumenical strategy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland until the year 2015Church Council for International Relations 2010; www. evl.fi/ecumenicalstrategy 9

10 3. All Nordic Lutheran Churches should strengthen their understanding of the classical Christian faith. 4. Main emphasis in the ecclesiology should be on the sacramental character of the Church. The sacramental understanding of the Church means that the Church is understood as being constituted by the Word of God and the sacraments (baptism and Eucharist). They are the means of grace and tools of salvation. The ordained ministry, which is instituted by Christ himself, has a special mandate to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments instituted by Christ, belongs also to the constitution of the Church. 5. Episcopal structure of the Church is practised fully according to the Porvoo Common statement (Together in Mission and Ministry in Europe) as well as the Commitments of the Porvoo Declaration. What gives comfort and hope to the Church is the promise of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ to be with us always, to the end of the age. Christ is present in the Church and Holy Spirit is working in the Word and sacraments. This is the real hope of the communion. Appendix Justification in the Life of the Church. A Report from the Roman Catholic Lutheran Dialogue group for Sweden and Finland. Church of Sweden, Roman-Catholic Diocese of Stockholm, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland, Roman- Catholic Diocese of Helsinki. Translation: Sr Gerd Swensson, Te Deum Production and printing: Ekotryckredners ISBN Artikelnr: SK Uppsala, Stockholm and Helsinki Background (1) In June 1989 Pope John Paul II made an ecumenical and pastoral visit to all the Nordic countries. During his travels, he received a particularly warm welcome at the Cathedrals of Uppsala and Turku. The joint services celebrated together with the Church of Sweden and the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland and the discussions with the bishops of these churches made a strong impression on the Pope. On his way back to Rome, the Pope said to the Roman-Catholic Bishop of Helsinki, Paul Verschuren, who as Chairman of the Roman Catholic Bishops Conference in the Nordic Countries accompanied the Pope throughout his Nordic visit, that following this visit, we in Rome have every reason to consider our relations with these churches. (2) In October 1991, the Archbishops Bertil Werkström (Uppsala) and John Vikström (Turku) together made a return visit to Rome, where they participated in the celebration of the Jubilee Year of St Birgitta. Together with Pope John Paul II, they officiated at an ecumenical service of Vespers at the main altar of St Peter s Basilica and they prayed together at the grave of the apostle in the crypt of the church. During their private audience, the Pope reminded them of his visit to Uppsala and Turku and appealed to the Archbishops and their delegations to find, if possible, new ecumenical ways ahead in the Nordic countries. (3) In connection with the celebrations in 1993 of the Lutheran Jubilee Year of the Synod at Uppsala (in 1593) a Lutheran-Roman Catholic seminar 10

11 was held at Uppsala, at which the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, proposed in his lecture that the Lutheran Churches in Sweden and Finland should embark on a dialogue with the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Helsinki and Stockholm about the church and the ordained ministry. The Council would be happy to support such a dialogue. In his comments in response to the lecture, Archbishop John Vikström spoke positively about this proposal. He said that the Churches in Finland and Sweden would investigate the matter in depth and would later make their position on this question known. (4) The following year the Archbishops Gunnar Weman (Uppsala) and John Vikström (Turku) visited the Vatican together with the Roman Catholic Bishops Hubertus Brandenburg (Stockholm) and Paul Verschuren (Helsinki). The Archbishops then advised Cardinal Cassidy that they were positive to the proposal to engage in a dialogue. At the same time a Working Group was appointed, consisting of the Chief Theological Secretary of the Church of Sweden, Ragnar Persenius, Executive Director of the Department 11 for International Affairs Risto Cantell, Father Henrik Roelvink OFM and Monsignor Heinz-Albert Raem in order to prepare the matter. (5) Discussions with the other Nordic Lutheran Churches made it clear that the Lutheran Churches of Norway and Denmark were interested in participating in the dialogue. The Working Group considered the matter and suggested to the Nordic Roman Catholic Bishops Conference that the Lutheran Churches and the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the Nordic countries should begin doctrinal conversations about the church and the ordained ministry. The Bishops Conference replied that, if it was necessary for the internal unity of the Lutheran Churches, it was prepared to engage in such conversations, but in its view, the original proposal by Cardinal Cassidy to begin a Finnish-Swedish dialogue was preferable. (6) The All-Nordic dialogue did however not take place, mainly because of the great differences that pertain to the ecumenical situation in the various Nordic countries. The joint meeting of the Nordic Catholic Bishops Conference and the leading Bishops of the Evangelical-Lutheran Churches (the so-called Primates Meeting) therefore proposed that, rather than an All-Nordic Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue, separate Lutheran Catholic doctrinal conversations should be pursued in the different Nordic countries. The Evangelical-Lutheran Churches in Finland and Sweden decided together with the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Helsinki and Stockholm to begin a joint Finnish-Swedish dialogue on doctrine. The motivation behind this decision was the common history of these churches and countries. (7) In the year 2002, the Archbishops KG Hammar (Uppsala) and Jukka Paarma (Turku) and the Roman Catholic Bishop Anders Arborelius (Stockholm) called together an extensive symposium at Sigtuna, at which the task and the membership of the dialogue group were discussed. The symposium took a broad approach in its search for possible ways of working in preparation for this dialogue. Several participants, including Archbishop KG Hammar, favoured a focus on how the churches today can meet the challenges that contemporary society addresses to them on the basis of issues such as globalisation, justice, equality, responsibility for the environment etc. Other participants asked for conversations on the conditions for theology today. What claims can theological formulations make at a time when confidence in the objectively given truths of faith can no longer be taken for granted in the same way as in the past? What is the relationship between language and reality? Does language only depict an already given reality, or is reality also created through language, and if so, how does that affect theological formulations? Yet other participants wanted to see new forms for collaboration between representatives of different churches and conversations on the basis of their own experience of life, rather than on the basis of doctrinal texts, and to engage in common worship, rather than in doctrinal conversations. (8) The ideas, expectations and hopes pulled in many and varied direc12 11

12 tions, but gradually the work took the direction of a fairly traditional form of doctrinal conversations between representatives of these different churches. There were several reasons, but in particular the fact that the starting-point for this dialogue should be the themes that had previously been brought to the foreground: ecclesiology, the view of the ordained ministry, the role and function of the bishop, the view of baptism and of the Eucharist etc. To this was added the special focus on the recently published document entitled The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, which aims to go beyond those central points of doctrine that once upon a time separated the churches, and which representatives for the Catholic Church and the Evangelical-Lutheran Family of Churches signed on 31st October 1999 at Augsburg.1 (9) The Dialogue Group decided to seek to answer the following question: What is the place of justification in the life of our respective churches? As a starting-point, the Joint Declaration and the desires for continued research and discussion that were requested therein, were chosen: Our consensus in basic truths of the doctrine of justification must come to influence the life and teachings of our churches. Here it must prove itself. In this respect, there are still questions of varying importance which need further clarification. These include, among other topics, the relationship between the Word of God and church doctrine, as well as ecclesiology,2 ecclesial authority, church unity, ministry, the sacraments, and the relation between justification and social ethics. We are convinced that the consensus we have reached offers a solid basis for this clarification. The Lutheran churches and the Roman Catholic Church will continue to strive together to deepen this common understanding of justification and to make it bear fruit in the life and teaching of the churches. (JD 43) (10) The purpose of this report is first of all to give a joint answer to the theological issues connected with the realisation of salvation in the thinking and the life of the church. Since we participate in a regional dialogue, we want to answer with reference to the Finnish-Swedish context of our churches. We therefore provide a short history of developments in our churches in Sweden and in Finland from the Middle Ages until today. In doing so, we highlight aspects of the relationships between our churches, which are less well known in international ecumenism, and which might indicate possible ways ahead 1 English text with supplements in Growth in Agreement 2000 and in Information Service. The responses from the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation however only in Information Service. Short form below JD. When the text refers to the Declaration itself, a numerical reference is given. When the text refers to some supplement, reference is given in other ways. See bibliography. Swedish translation and commentary in:...att i allt bekänna Kristus. Den gemensamma deklarationen om rättfärdiggörelseläran. Ed Gösta Hallonsten and Per Erik Persson (Verbum, Stockholm 2000). 2 The word ecclesiology was inadvertently omitted in the Swedish translation of JD. 13 towards greater unity between the Catholic and the Lutheran Churches even in other countries. (11) From a theological and pastoral perspective, we here consider the specific forms in which the salvation of God reaches us human beings. This is the second time in our ecumenical conversations, at least with regard to Sweden, that ecclesiology is expressly put into focus the church is the body of Christ, in which human beings receive the justification of God. We have now concentrated on the concrete sacramental life of the church, on the divine life in human forms. From that starting-point we see the connection between the various forms in which human beings receive the salvation of God. Thus we analyse the relationship between, justification on the one hand and baptism, the Eucharist/Holy Communion and the ordained ministry on the other. (12) The text now before us concentrates on classical points of doctrine in the Christian faith in dialogue with previous doctrinal conversations of a similar character. This is not without problems, and the Dialogue Group is aware of this. Basic hermeneutical issues on the conditions of interpretation as well as the claims and character of theological texts, the question of the relationship between language and reality, contemporary challenges 12

13 that concern peace, justice, the environment, equality, globalisation etc. fall entirely outside our scope. The majority of the participants in this dialogue are happy with the choices made and believe that this document may prove to be a significant contribution to the continued dialogue between churches. Other members of the Group take the view that a more fundamental work on the basic theological and hermeneutical issues could have been undertaken, and that it is remarkable that, at a time of environmental crisis, financial crisis and a number of issues concerned with survival and common life, none of these are reflected in this document. However, all participants stand behind the text that is now presented. It will have to be the task in other contexts to consider further those issues that are not treated here. (13) The official Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue in Sweden began already in 1970 through the initiative of the then Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Ruben Josefson later it was also affirmed by the Church of Sweden Central Governing Body and the Roman-Catholic Bishop of Stockholm, John E Taylor. It has resulted in five published documents from four stages of that dialogue: Äktenskap och familj i kristen belysning, (Marriage and the Family in the Light of Christianity, 1975); Ekumenisk samsyn om dop och kyrkotillhörighet, (Ecumenical Agreement on Baptism and Church Membership, 1978); Biskopsämbetet, (1988, published in English: The Office of Bishop, 1993); Ekumeniska äktenskap, (Ecumenical Marriage, 1999); Kyrkan som sakrament, (The Church as Sacrament, 1999).3 Our Group, in which Fin- 3 See Bibliography: Äktenskap och familj (Marriage and Family); Dop och kyrkotillhörighet (Baptism and Church membership); The Office of Bishop; Ekumeniska äktenskap (Ecumenical Marriage); Kyrkan som sakrament (The Church as Sacrament). 14 land has also been included, may be seen as part of this context of dialogue. We build on these previous reports, but we have also conducted our conversations against the background of international, regional and national dialogues in the Nordic countries and in other parts of the world. (14) The ecumenical relations at the national level in Finland between the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki and the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland have come to concrete expression, not so much in theological conversations and reports, as in the annual pilgrimage to Rome around the Feast of the holy bishop St Henrik on the 19th of January. Representatives from the Orthodox Church in Finland also participate in these pilgrimages, particularly in certain jubilee years. (15) The Lutheran delegation in our Dialogue Group has consisted of eight theologians from the Church of Sweden and from the Evangelical- Lutheran Church of Finland as well as an observer from the Lutheran World Federation (the Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Issues, Sven Oppegaard, ), while the Catholic delegation has consisted of eight theologians from the Roman-Catholic Diocese of Stockholm and the Roman-Catholic Diocese of Helsinki as well as an observer from the Pontifical Council for Promotiing Christian Unity in Rome (Monsignor Matthias Türk). The chairman from the Catholic side was first Bishop William Kenney CP ( ) and thereafter Bishop Anders Arborelius OCD (2007-) and from the Lutheran side Bishop Eero Huovinen. Other delegates at the last stage were, from the Catholic side Father Fredrik Emanuelson OMI, Prefect of Studies Ingvar Fogelqvist, Sister Madeleine Fredell OP, MTheol Marjatta Jaanu-Schröder, Father Henrik Roelvink OFM (Secretary) and Assistant Professor Håkan Ulfgard and from the Lutheran side, Executive Director Risto Cantell, Professor Elisabeth Gerle, Assistant Professor Bo Larsson (Secretary), Bishop Martin Lind, Assistant Professor Virpi Mäkinen and Bishop Simo Peura. (16) Besides these, a few others have contributed as Secretaries (Dr Theol. Örjan Wikmark, editorial secretary, Dr Theol, Bishop Matti Repo; Dr Theol Jari Jolkkonen ; and the Doctoral Student Ilmari Karimies 2006-). Over the years, several participants have been given new tasks and have therefore had to resign from the Dialogue Group. This was the case of, from the Catholic side Bishop William Kenney CP, Sister Angela Corsten RSCJ, 13

14 Father Rudolf Larenz, Father Antoine Lévy OP and Father Tuomo T Vimpari and from the Lutheran side, Bishop Carl Axel Aurelius and Dr Theol. Jari Jolkkonen. They have in turn been replaced by others. (17) This report has emerged from two meetings every year, which have each lasted for two days and which have been held alternatively in Sweden and in Finland. During the first two years, material was collected and conversations held about various possible approaches and methods. Later on, individual delegates or small working groups wrote or worked on different 15 drafts to parts of the report, which were then analysed and commented on during the meetings. At the beginning of the working period, a larger reference group was called together. 1.2 The Character of the Dialogue (18) The members of this ecumenical conversation group represent their churches because they have been officially appointed by them. The text that is presented here is a result of a joint process, although it is sometimes noted in the text that the Catholic and the Lutheran positions still remain so far apart that they must be described separately. The new common positions, on which the Dialogue Group has reached greater unity, have emerged from the sincere will of the participants to seek together new perspectives on old controversies, so that these may be shown, on the basis of deeper study of the Bible, church history and modern ecumenical texts, to be conditioned by their period of origin and no longer applicable. A dialogue is not a process of negotiation, in which compromises are made in order to achieve agreement, but a common search for a deeper understanding of the truth. This can often happen when taking into account that former generations often put greater stress on differences than on agreements. Through the strivings towards fellowship, new and common light may be thrown on a number of traditional disputes and polarisations. The remaining differences may then often be perceived as not church dividing theological ideas or forms of spirituality, where there is room for legitimate plurality. (19) The road from this commission report to greater unity between our churches will however be a long one. It is the Dialogue Group who at the moment stands behind this text. It is now handed over to our church leaders, theologians and other church members for study and reception. Our churches must decide themselves on the content of this document in a suitable manner, accept or adjust its ideas, and wherever possible put them into practice in their church life. Only when that has been undertaken will this report have become part of the new and common tradition of our churches. (20) Reception by our churches will be a great challenge. It is about dialogue between two historically connected, but today separate, Lutheran National Churches on the one hand and the worldwide Catholic Church on the other. While the Lutheran delegates have direct contacts with the decision-making bodies of their churches and the process of decision-making is shorter there, the Catholic delegates do not have any such direct links, and the process of reception will therefore be more complicated, since it must also include other countries and continents. (21) A particular challenge lies in the fact that we may not all have the same goal in view. We interpret the unity of the churches and thus the aim of the theological conversations differently. For some members of our churches, 16 it would be a sufficient unity if we were able to share the same communion table and to receive each others sacraments. Some of them will certainly be disappointed that not even this report achieves that. For others, the goal of these conversations includes not only sacramental communion, but also a visible organic/organisational unity. We have sought to state precisely wherein the hindrances lie, and to pinpoint a few steps along the road towards visible unity. Our ecclesiological differences must not hinder us from treating one another as legitimate churches in speech and action. This does not necessarily have to lead to an organisational unity, nor to sacramental communion, 14

15 but it does have immediate consequences for what we choose to focus on in our mutual relations. (22) In this context we must also note that unity and division do not exist only between different churches but also within them. Within each individual church, there exists a plurality of views and theologies. This also has consequences for the reception of this document. Its authority will also come to reside in whether or not it affirms the strivings towards unity that exist in local initiatives. (23) The word church is used in this document on the basis of the following text in the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification: The word church is used in this Declaration to reflect the self-understandings of the participating churches, without intending to resolve all the ecclesiological issues related to this term (JD 5, footnote). 15