From Conflict to Communion

An Ecumenical Service to Commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation

‘Abide in me as I abide in you’ is a phrase from the Gospel of John that was read by the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Ross Bay, during a service presided by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland, the Most Rev Patrick Dunn, and Assistant Bishop of the Lutheran Church in New Zealand, Rev Jim Pietsch, at the Catholic Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph on 31^st October.

Carlo David

It was an ecumenical service that gathered religious leaders and lay faithful from all denominations across Auckland to commemorate 500 years since an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther wrote a list of 95 statements about contrition, repentance, divine forgiveness, indulgences and papal authority which subsequently led to the division of Western Christendom known as the Reformation. Five centuries later, after a series of wars, excommunications, and inquisitions, an Anglican Bishop was able to stand in the ambo of a Catholic Cathedral and proclaim the words of John’s Gospel that reminds the Christian family that abiding in Christ, as the true vine, is the essence of their faith. It was a significant event; one that will hopefully usher a new era of ecumenism based on mutual respect and trust. The service was not simply an appreciation of our reconciled diversity but a celebration of Jesus Christ who unites us.

The highlight of the commemoration was the commitment of Catholics and Lutherans to grow in communion guided by the Five Imperatives. Catholics and Lutherans committed themselves to:

·         Always begin from the perspective of unity and not from the point of view of division in order to strengthen what is held in common even though the differences are more easily seen and experienced.

·         Let themselves continuously be transformed by the encounter with the other and by the mutual witness of faith.

·         To seek visible unity, to elaborate together what this means in concrete steps, and to strive repeatedly toward this goal.

·         Rediscover the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ for our time.

·         Witness together to the mercy of God in proclamation and service to the world.

Although the imperatives were primarily for Catholics and Lutherans, the presence of other church leaders, like the Anglicans, Methodists, Wesleyans, Presbyterians, and Salvation Army, shows that the principles are applicable in all ecumenical dialogues.

Through ecumenical dialogues, relationships among Christian Churches had developed significantly since Luther’s 95 theses were first published in 1517 and Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism- Unitatis Redintegratio, set in motion the Catholic Church’s strong effort in working towards unity among the followers of Christ. The 500^th Anniversary of the Reformation affirms how far we’ve come in our ecumenical efforts but also challenges us to continue this pilgrimage towards Christian unity always filled with the light and truth of the Gospel and faith in the triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.