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Saxony-Anhalt Prime Minister says “Joint Declaration” is significant

An opportunity to focus on new thought patterns  

WITTENBERG, Germany/GENEVA, 25 October 1999 (lwi) - The confirmation of the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” in Augsburg by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999 is not only significant for the unity of the Church of Christ but it also provides an opportunity to focus on new patterns of thinking at the threshold of a new millennium.

The Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt Dr. Reinhard Höppner made these remarks during a press conference organized by the Conference of International Black Lutherans (CIBL) which is meeting at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, for the first time in the city of the Reformation, since the international body was founded in 1986. The conference began on 25 October and ends on 31 October 1999.

 Dr. Höppner said it was an honor for the city and region to host such a meeting particularly coming at the end of the second millennium and the eve of a new one. He at the same time appreciated the fact that it is ten years since the Berlin Wall came down ending the divide between East and West Germany.

 During the press conference which was also addressed by the Lord Mayor of Wittenberg, Mr. Eckhard Naumann and representatives of CIBL, the Prime Minister also spoke of the relevance of Luther’s message of justification, saying it should be a source of encouragement for Christians in particular as they enter the new millennium.

 CIBL comprises black Lutheran theologians both clergy and lay from African, North American and the Caribbean. Its first meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe reflected on “The Meaning of the Lutheran Heritage and the Black Experience in Africa and North America”. The second conference, held in 1996 in Zimbabwe’s second city, Bulawayo, addressed the topic:”Poverty and Plenty-Bridging the Gap”. The aim then was to share the various gifts of the participants as well as their understanding of the Christian faith and its African and Lutheran expressions when dealing with the issues of poverty and plenty.

 And when the Prime Minister greeted the CIBL participants meeting in Wittenberg, he emphasized that this is the first time the group was meeting in the place where the history of the Reformation began nearly 500 years ago. “Coming back to Wittenberg means coming back to our faith,” he told the conference participants.

Prime Minister since 1994, Höppner is a mathematician who has been actively involved in church work particularly regarding the questions of peace, justice and preservation of the creation. Since the early 70s, he has been a member and from 1984 to 1994 chairperson of the synod of the Protestant church of the church province of Saxony.

 He said one of the questions he often asks himself in his current position is “the significance of my faith in the context of the various changes taking place in politics” and the world in general. His challenge to CIBL participants who include lay and ordained Lutheran theologians was: “Even though the situations in our continents differ what can we do as Christians to help people overcome the problems they are faced with?”

In a world where there is lessening solidarity between rich and poor, North and South, young and old, the Prime Minister said it is important that the CIBL meets in Germany, particularly to emphasize to Europe that Africa, more often than not being described as “the forgotten continent” should not be forgotten and it is indeed a continent like the others.

 Höppner also paid tribute to women, saying he greatly valued their contribution in the church and society, and often marveled at their strength not just in his own local context especially with the changes after 1989 in Europe, but worldwide. Women he said “are strong in times of transformation and flexible in responding to changes. We need them to cope with all the important changes in our world today.”

The conference has been organized by CIBL, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for Mission and Development (DMD) and the Luther in Saxony-Anhalt (LUISA).The latter is a state-owned non-profit organization founded in 1995, the year before the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther with the aim is to develop the themes of Luther and the Reformation in a post-communist era.

 (The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries representing 58 million of the world’s 61.5 million Lutherans. It highest decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council which meets annually, and its Executive Committee.)