The Lutheran and Roman Catholic co-chairs described the meeting as constructive and precise, helpful to both Christian traditions as they search for greater mutual understanding through the dialogue.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops chose the topic at the end of Round X in 2004, to examine issues related to the Christian’s life beyond death, reports the ELCA News Service.
The conversation stems from principles of life-after-death developed in the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification," which the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church signed Oct. 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany.
Dialogue members are considering such issues as purgatory, indulgences, and masses and prayers for the dead.
The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, and the Most Rev. Richard J. Sklba, auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, serve as co-chairs of the U.S. dialogue. In addition to members of the ELCA and the Roman Catholic Church, the dialogue includes two participants from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
"The most recent meeting of the dialogue represented another constructive step in exploring the topic, ‘The Hope of Eternal Life,’ from Lutheran and Roman Catholic perspectives," Almen said. "Members of the team in this meeting undertook the initial development of an outline that will guide further discussion and the possible content of a report to the churches."
"As is so often the case in such meetings, participants discover so much of what we hold in common as members of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We also realize that culture and practice have shaped in differing ways some expressions of the faith for Lutherans and Roman Catholics, while the underlying substance of certain doctrinal convictions is the same for both churches," Almen said.
The "long road" of ecumenical dialogue requires untiring, ongoing commitment, he said, adding that much work remains for present dialogue team members and for those who will follow.
"Each small step for greater mutual understanding is important, however, as we strive for salutary ways to reflect more clearly the unity that we have been granted as baptized sisters and brothers in Christ," Almen added.
"The careful precision brought to this past meeting of the dialogue by the members of each delegation and their knowledge of history have been a great blessing for all of us," Sklba told.
"Simply tracing the unfolding practices which have marked our respective Lutheran or Catholic prayers on the occasion of the death of a believer has brought light to our conversation."
"While Catholics might place great emphasis on our communal membership in the body of Christ, the Church, we both trust in God’s saving mercy in Christ," Sklba said.
Exploring "popular devotion and piety" of each tradition continues to be helpful in the search for mutual understanding and reconciliation, he said. "Church dividing issues seem fewer in areas under study in Round XI than anticipated," Sklba added.
