Czy „dosyć” wystarcza? Uwarunkowania wspólnoty kościelnej z perspektywy luterańskiej

Abstract

In February 2004 the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany published a statement entitled Ecumenism According to an Evangelical Lutheran Understanding. According to the document, it is enough for the „true unity” of the Church – but also necessary – to agree on the right understanding of the gospel, i.e. on proclamation in harmony of the Scriptures and on the administration of the sacraments. The goal of ecumenism is therefore the declaration and practice of church communion on the basis and condition of this true unity. The Leuenberg Agreement of the Churches of the Reformation in Europe is an example for the successful application of this concept. But is „enough is enough” really all that can be said about a Lutheran understanding of church communion? An overview of some bilateral dialogues helps to grasp with what concepts for unity and models of union various Lutheran churches have engaged with other denominations. The Leuenberg model became the sponsor for national agreements between various Lutheran churches in Europe with the Methodists. Furthermore, conversations with Baptists and Mennonites in Germany show that this concept accepts steps on the way to the final goal. The Meissen Declaration (Evangelical Church in Germany – Church of England), the Porvoo Declaration (Nordic and Baltic Lutheran Churches – Anglican Churches of the British Isles) and Called to Common Mission (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – Episcopal Church in America) are three successful examples how Anglicans and Lutherans reached official and authorised agreements between their churches. The historic episcopate and apostolic succession were key issues in all three conversations. The Lutheran – Roman Catholic document Facing Unity of 1984 produced a very detailed discussion on church unity and models towards it. It becomes apparent that the document assumed a shared ministry in apostolic succession as a third precondition for unity, for which it was criticised in various Lutheran reactions to it. So where does this overview lead us? 1) Article VII of the Augsburg Confession is the central starting point and framework for any Lutheran concept of church unity. This calls for a basic doctrinal consensus, a communion in confession, in which different confessional traditions can be in communion as long as there is a consensus that the differences in confessional traditions are a legitimate diversity of the same gospel. 2) Often the value of ministry becomes the test case. For Lutherans the ordained ministry is not on the same level as Word and Sacrament, but rather exists to serve them. Lutheran ecclesiology has never seen a particular form of ministry as the only possible way to fulfil its essential role. However, Lutherans are not able to accept any structural and doctrinal changes that might imply that they had not been part of the continuity and apostolicity of the one Church, that their orders have been null and void or that the taking-up of the historic episcopate is a necessary precondition for unity. Yet, for the sake of love and unity, they are free to value the historic episcopate as one possible means of making more visible the unity and continuity of the Church. 3) A Lutheran concept of unity is a model of unity in stages. The already reached consensus has to be matched with a respective step on the way to unity. However, the churches have to be aware that this interaction in various and diverse steps and stages can lead to unexpected „eternal triangles” or the phenomenon of „intransitivity” This anomaly has to be accepted if we take the insight seriously that all bilateral relations are contextual and if the churches want to avoid ecumenical paralysis. Yet, it can only be accepted, if the process of steps and stages is backed by the deep conviction that at the end the churches will discover their God given unity. 4) The term „full, visible unity” is a key phrase in most bilateral dialogues. Just living side-by-side is not enough. The declaration and practice of table and pulpit fellowship is such an act of giving evidence of visible unity. Within the framework of Augsburg Confession, Article VII, the Lutheran churches have an exciting scope to give witness and shape to the unity that is already given through God’s reconciling work in Christ. They are obliged to use their given freedom and flexibility to show this unity with each of their ecumenical partners as full and visible as possible in obedience to God’s will „ut unum sint”.