Are Lutherans Next? Lutherans Seek Full Communion with Catholic Church

By Deacon Keith Fournier
7/11/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit

Pope Benedict XVI's first Papal message: 'With full awareness, therefore, at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome which Peter bathed in his blood, Peter's current Successor takes on as his primary task the duty to work tirelessly to rebuild the full and visible unity of all Christ's followers. This is his ambition, his impelling duty.'

Priestly Ordination.

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CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - On Tuesday, Peter Kemmether, a married 62 year old father of four children was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Gerhard Ludwig M�ller. Fr. Peter was granted a dispensation from the canonical discipline of celibacy attached to priestly ordination. He had been a Protestant Pastor who came into the full communion of the Catholic Church as the fruit of a sincere search for the fullness of the Christian faith. On June 6, 2010, I read a story in the Philadelphia Enquirer entitled "The Priest and his Mrs." concerning now Fr. Philip Johnson, a Lutheran Pastor for 19 years, who followed a similar path. He was ordained for the Diocese of Camden with the same exception, under the sponsorship and invitation of Bishop Joseph Galante.

Catholics are becoming aware of the former Anglican and Episcopal ministers who have followed the same journey home. Fewer Catholics are aware of the marvelous welcome the Church has extended to many more through the historic apostolic constitution approved by Pope Benedict XI. I have written extensively about this and recently shared my joy with our readers at the ordination of lifelong friend and pro-life hero Fr. Paul Schenck, whose ordination I had the privilege of attending last month. You can read my account here.

I am in a dialogue with Archbishop Irl A. Gladfelter, CSP, the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church, a group of Lutherans who have embraced the Catholic Catechism and the teaching of the Magisterium. They are humbly knocking at the door of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith seeking a way into full communion. You can read about this amazing group here. I am working on a fuller story of their journey. Some have said that their smallness and placement on "the fringes" of the Lutheran community makes them less representative. I recall that those were the same comments made about the "Traditional Anglican Communion" in their early efforts. They became the prophetic vehicle the Holy Spirit used to open up an historic breakthrough.

To be Catholic is to enter into the prayer of Jesus for the Unity of His Church. In Pope Benedict XVI's first Papal message he signaled his commitment to this unity: "Nourished and sustained by the Eucharist, Catholics cannot but feel encouraged to strive for the full unity for which Christ expressed so ardent a hope in the Upper Room. The Successor of Peter knows that he must make himself especially responsible for his Divine Master's supreme aspiration. Indeed, he is entrusted with the task of strengthening his brethren (cf. Lk 22: 32). With full awareness, therefore, at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome which Peter bathed in his blood, Peter's current Successor takes on as his primary task the duty to work tirelessly to rebuild the full and visible unity of all Christ's followers. This is his ambition, his impelling duty."

He has placed the commitment to the full communion of the Church at the forefront of his Papacy. This is evident in his love, respect and repeated overtures toward our Orthodox brethren, whom we recognize as a Church and whose priesthood and Sacraments we also recognize. However, this love is also evident in his outreach to the separated Christians of the Reformation communities of the West. On the 4th anniversary of the death of his predecessor, John Paul II, Pope Benedict reminded us of John Paul's passionate commitment to the full communion of the Church. That teaching is summarized in the Encyclical Letter "May they be One" (Ut Unum Sint).

The teaching of the Church is rooted in an ecclesiology of communion. John Paul II wrote: "It happens for example that, in the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount, Christians of one confession no longer consider other Christians as enemies or strangers but see them as brothers and sisters. Again, the very expression "separated brethren" tends to be replaced today by expressions which more readily evoke the deep communion linked to the baptismal character which the Spirit fosters in spite of historical and canonical divisions. Today we speak of "other Christians", "others who have received Baptism", and "Christians of other Communities". The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism refers to the Communities to which these Christians belong as "Churches and Ecclesial Communities that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church. ...

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1 - 10 of 46 Comments

Johannes
3 months ago
I am a conservative Finnish Lutheran. Though a layman myself, I have had a deep interest in religion, church history and the development of dogmas. While we have very few Roman catholics among our midst in Finland, many of my best friends are memebers of the Eastern Orthodox Church (including some priests), and we have had honest and friendly, even humorous discussions and debates on the points we agree to disagree. I came to this page by accident and has read with interest the whole discussion.

What I have to say maybe shocking to someone, but I only try to be honest. In my opinion, we ought to stop false ecumenism. I mean those efforts to overcome very fundamental differences in the understanding of central issues like salvation, sacraments, the office of the Church, scriptural authority, tradition etc... by trying to evade them by using equivocal expressions and sloppy terminology. While it was - and is - the will of Christ that His followers were one, we have to submit the task of creating this unity to Him, to be done in His own good time. Our human efforts will only result either in watered down doctrinal minimalism or demands of unconditional surrender of one party or the other.

While I know, that "hard core Roman Catholics" do not consider me as a follower of Christ in any real sense of the word, I wish to finish my message with my personal creed, that was formulated by a very well known Finnish Lutheran lay preacher for 150 years ago:

" I know that I am a sinful man, I know that Christ is their Saviour".

After 50 years of pondering matters of Faith, I havent got any further...

.
Mitch Wenacur
2 years ago
God's Grace and Peace to everyone! I'm really saddened by what I am reading. I love being a Lutheran (ELCA). We are Catholic and Evangelical. We are Sacramental. Our Liturgy is almost 100% that of the Roman Catholic Church. We love the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Eucharist and we are fully aware of our Catholic roots. It's true that the ELCA has many Churches that are watering down some core Lutheran Doctrines, but what I experience when Orthodoxy is over emphasized, many people are excluded. Whatever anybody, Roman Catholic, or Lutheran Churches preach about the gay issue or abortion (pro or against) is becoming hateful dialogue. Christ loved ALL of us first. We must remember, when we stand before the Lord in judgement, only HE get's to decide what is the truth. Let's celebrate what we do have in common and leave the rest up to the guidance of His Holy Spirit. Catholic or Lutheran-we ARE united by faith in Christ and His Church. There is only ONE God. His command? To love one another...
silentbob
2 years ago
Unfortunately the term "Lutheran" doesn't have much of a central definition these days. The ELCA would desperately love to be in communion again with Rome. Why? They need to somehow appear as a legitimate Christian institution, and Rome would be their best source for such a claim. Considering the heterodoxy is running deep in the ELCA, I can't believe for a minute that Rome would even want them. Kersten is a typical ELCA Lutheran who is oblivious to Lutheran Doctrine and therefore is incapable of seeing why the Confessional Lutherans are very unlikely to return to Rome. The issues haven't been dissolved/resolved, and the theological issues still remain. Unfortunately we have too many post-modern thinkers getting into the Church who believe that our current society and way of thinking is somehow different or superior to those of generations past. Just because an issue is 500 or 1000 years old does not mean that it is no longer an issue. As long as there is a pope in Rome, confessional Lutherans will not be in communion with the RCC. You can have the ELCA, we really want them to stop using the name "Lutheran" as it gives all of us Lutherans who actually subscribe to Lutheran doctrine and believe in Scriptural authority a bad name.
Vivek
2 years ago
Cliff
I'm another Hardcore Lutheran. I Belong to India , i read the whole thread and came to the conclusion that your points are strongly justified even from neutral point of view. Also, you maintained the dignity while discussion in rightful Christian Spirit or Lutheran Spirit and all i can say is i'm proud of you.
Earl
2 years ago
Cliff:
I'm not sure where you were referring to in referencing trash talk in the thread. I, for one, have spoken the truth. As a former Lutheran, I've personallly witnessed the anti-Catholic bigotry that permeates the Lutheran Churches in America (at least as far as the LCMS and WELS go). I do pray that my fellow christians take a look at the Roman Catholic Church and its theology without the prejudice and misinfomation spread about it throughout protestant churches in general and the Lutheran church in particular. Let God guide your way on this.
Yours in Christ,
Earl
Cliff
2 years ago
For those who are under the delusion that Lutherans will flock to the RCC, check out the new Seminary that is taking root. http://www.solid-ground.ca/articles/index.php?id=5620338289229059605

This seminary is a return to orthodox, fundamental Lutheran Doctrine. It is the result of the liberalism in the ELCA/ELCIC churches, and their stand on Gay ordination/Human Sexuality.

So do not be over optimistic in your prognosis of thousands of Lutherans "Coming home", you may be disappointed.
cliff
2 years ago
George, you offer some interesting insights as to why you left the ELCA. As my first post stated, they are in free fall and have abandoned not only the Confessional faith, but have given up on the authority of Scripture. They indeed are in dire straits and why the RCC would want to be in union with them is beyond me.

But George, you really do not understand Lutheranism when you suggest that the LCMS will come into full communion with the Roman Church. I am afraid you are blowing smoke on that one, and that is only a dream of "Catholic Fundamentalists".

The LCMS & LCC in Canada have taken a strong confessional, catholic, orthodox and scriptural stand, and will not be so eager to enter into full or partial communion with the RCC. Our stand is a theological one, and the differences must be worked out in a Christian manner, with meaningful dialogue and not resorting to "trash talk" as some have done in this thread.
George
2 years ago
Like Kerstin, I came from the ELCA to the (RCC) Church spurred by their decisions last August. About three weeks later I was in RCIA. For me personally, the ELCA August 2009 convention was a great blessing, waking me from my >50 year "cradle Lutheran" slumber. The really sad part is how fast and far they are drifting away from unity, not only with the Church, but even with LCMS. I can envision LCMS someday coming into full communion with us but honestly, I just can not picture the same for the ELCA. Reunification with them may have to be on a person-by-person basis. Anyway, I am very happy to be home as of February 7, 2010.
Bp. Edward J. Steele
2 years ago
Alejandro,

I'm glad you visited our website - thank you. Why we still have "Lutheran" in our name, or "Anglo" for that matter, is a good question. However I assure you that as soon as the Holy Father allows us to be in full communion, both of those terms will be dropped from our name as we will simply be Roman or Latin Catholics - and very happily so.

That said, both of the terms are currently part of our name because it helps identify where we are coming from, and hopefully will help draw others from similar backgrounds to join us in our journey to Rome. As stated in my earlier posting, "our desire is to be fully Catholic, in accord with the desires and dictates of the Holy Father and the teaching magisterium of the Church". You can be certain that we have not remained "outside the Church to avoid episcopal oversight"; quite the opposite. We look forward to the day when we come under the full authority, guidance, and love of our Holy Father the Pope.

Peace and grace,
+Ed Steele
ALCC
Ludovikus
2 years ago
I agree with Alejandro. Know better about the teachings of Luther is important, but the most important one is to be more aware of the works of The Holy Spirit. We have no ability to understand Divine plan of our Lord to make His Church "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic". Let's continue praying for the unity of the Church! Thank you. (Ludovikus, a Catholic priest from Indonesia)

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