Vatican Praises Lutherans’ Action

The Vatican said it welcomed last week’s action by world Lutherans that the 16th century condemnation of Roman Catholicism by Protestant reformers no longer applies.

But the Vatican’s top official for Christian unity rebuffed a Lutheran affirmation that a consensus on the key doctrine of justification exists between Catholics and Lutherans.

“The Catholic Church is . . . of the opinion that we cannot yet speak of a consensus such as would eliminate every difference between Catholics and Lutherans in the understanding of justification,” the Vatican said in a statement issued Thursday.

Justification is the doctrine on how people are saved. The notion of justification by faith alone was a key element of the 16th century Reformation that challenged Catholic teachings on salvation through works.

Cardinal Edward Cassidy, head of the Vatican’s Council for Christian Unity, said Catholics could agree that the condemnations leveled by Rome against the Reformation no longer apply.

The Vatican and the Geneva-based Lutheran World Federation have been studying a proposed “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” since 1997. Last week, the Council of the Lutheran World Federation, an international body of 224 Lutheran churches, overwhelmingly endorsed the declaration, which included an affirmation of consensus on justification and a lifting of the condemnations.

In a statement issued after the Vatican statement Thursday, the Lutheran federation said it remained committed to adoption of the joint declaration.