The Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue
Date established: 1965.
Frequency of meetings: twice each year
Catholic Chairman: Bishop Richard Sklba
Lutheran Chairman: The Rev. Lowell G. Almen
SEIA staff: Rev. James Massa, Ph.D.
The U.S. Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue, Round 11, has produced the following Common Statement: The Hope of Eternal Life. The document represents the work of scholars from both traditions who met over a period of five years (2005-2010) to explore common understandings and differences in the Christian belief in the eternal life promised and realized in Jesus Christ.
Official reception of the Common Statement is pending in both communions. The Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Liaison Committee of the Evangelical Church in America's Conference of Bishops will officially receive the Statement and share it with the Conference of Bishops at the latter's meeting in March 2011. Reception on the Catholic side is expected to take place when the Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops meets in plenary in April 2011. In accord with the shared understanding of such texts, "Hope of Eternal Life" has the authority of the dialogue members who produced it and is not doctrinally binding on either church. Yet the dialogue membership is nonetheless confident that the common statement of Round 11 represents an important achievement in Lutheran-Catholic relations and will serve as a helpful basis for further ecumenical dialogue and scholarship on this topic.
Reports:
"The Status of the Nicene Creed as Dogma of the Church" 1965
"One Baptism for the Remission of Sins" 1966
"The Eucharist" 1967
"Eucharist and Ministry" 1970
"Differing Attitudes Toward Papal Primacy" 1973
"Teaching Authority and Infallibility in the Church" 1978
"Justification by Faith" 1983
"The One Mediator, The Saints, and Mary" 1990
"Scripture and Tradition" 1995
"The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures and Ministries", 2004
The Hope of Eternal Life” 2010
Meeting Press Releases:
September 3-5, 1998
April 15-18, 1999
December 2-5, 1999
May 4-7, 2000
November 30-December 3, 2000
March 29-April 1, 2001
December 6-9, 2001
May 2-5, 2002
December 5-8, 2002
June 25-29, 2003
December 4-7, 2003
April 22-25, 2004
December 1-4, 2005
April 20-23, 2006
October 12-15, 2006
March 15-18, 2007
October 9-12, 2008
March 12-15, 2009
October 13-17, 2010
Earlier Press Releases
- Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue Launched (July 4, 1965)
- Catholics, Lutherans Mark Reformation (July 5, 1967)
- Press Release (June 30, 1970)
- Press Release (October 26, 1970)
- Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue Sees “New Possibilities of Concord” (September 27, 1972)
- Lutheran/Catholic Accord on Papal Primacy Exalted, Cited by Catholic Participants as “Landmark Report,” “New Foundation” (March 5, 1974)
- Lutheran-Catholic Statement on Papacy Will Be Explored in “Guideline” Shows (April 10, 1974)
- Catholic, Lutheran Leaders Cite Accords, Urge Study (April 4, 1975)
- lu8.pdf
- Lutheran-Roman Catholic Report on Infallibility Is Published (January 31, 1979)
- Joint Lutheran-Catholic Observances Encouraged by Bishops’ Committee (July 12, 1979)
- Progress In Relations Cited By Bishops, Lutheran Heads (March 19, 1980)
- Lutheran, Catholic Dialogue Urges Joint Commemoration of St. Francis (October 23, 1981)
- Archbishop Roach Hails Lutheran Merger Announcement (September 9, 1982)
- Lutheran and Catholic Bishops Discuss Nuclear War, Other Concerns (November 2, 1982)
- Lutherans, Roman Catholics End Study on Justification (September 20, 1983)
- Catholic, Lutheran Scholars Issue Study on Justification by Faith (September 28, 1983)
- Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue Studies Joint Word Service (November 5, 1984)
- Bishops’ Committee Cites Pope’s Strong Commitment to Ecumenism (September 26, 1985)
- Catholic, Lutheran Bishops Approve Joint Prayer Service (November 5, 1985)
- Lutheran and Catholic Bishops Attend 13th Annual Meeting (November 6, 1987)
- Lutherans, Roman Catholics Complete Common Study on Saints, Mary (February 23, 1990)
- Official Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue of 27 Years to Continue (February 25, 1993)
- Catholic-Lutheran Agreement Seen on Justification by Faith (May 6, 1996)
- U.S. Bishops Laud Lutheran Statement on Justification by Faith (August 21, 1997)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

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