Gerðir kirkjuþings - 1995, Side 107

Preamble
(1) The doctrine of justifícation was of central importance for the Lutheran
Reformation of the sixteenth centuiy. It was held to be the 'first and chief article'l
which is also the 'rector et iudex super omnia genera doctrinarum * 2 . the rule and
judge over all areas of doctrine. The doctrine of justifícation was particularly asserted
and defended in its Reformation shape and special valuation over against the Roman
Catholic Church and theology of that time, which in tum asserted and defended a
doctrine of justifícation of a different character. Justifícation was regarded as the crux
of all the disputes, and resrolted in the mutual doctrinal condemnations both in the
Lutheran Confessions and by the Roman Catholic Church’s Council of Trent. These
condemnations are still operative today and thus have a church-dividing effect.
(2) Despite certain fluctuations in the course of history, the doctrine of justifícation has
retained its special status among Lutherans. Consequently the question conceming the
doctrine of justifícation has from the beginning occupied an important place in the
recent offícial Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue.
(3) Sp>ecial attention should be drawn to the foliowing reports: 'The Gospel and the
Church* (1972)3 and 'Church and Justification" (1994)4 by the Lutheran-Roman
Catholic Joint Commission, 'Justification by Faith' (1983)5 of the Lutheran-Roman
Catholic dialogue in the USA and 'The Condemnations of the Reformation Era - Do
They Still Divide?' (1986)6 by the Ecumenicai Working Group of Protestant and
Catholic theologians in Germany. Meanwhile this latter document has been assessed in
both Lutheran and Roman Catholic responses, initiated by the churches which should
also be taken into account. In this connection it is important to note that on key issues
these dialogues in tum have drawn upon the biblical, historical and systematic theo-
logical scholarship of recent decades.
(4) In their discussion of the doctrine of justification, all the dialogue reports as well as
the responses show a high degree of agreement in their approach and conclusions. The
time has therefore come to take stock and to summarize the results of the dialogues
on justifícation so that our churches may be informed about the overall results of this
dialogue with the necessary accuracy and brevity, and thereby be enabled to make
binding decisions.
(5) The present document has this intention: namely, to show that on the basis of their
dialogue Lutherans and Roman Catholics are now able to articuLate and advocate a
common understanding of the faith content of the doctrine of justification.
1 The Smalcaid Articles, 11,1; The Book of Concord, 292.
2 M. Luther, Preface to the Doctrinal Disputation of P. Palladius, 1537; WA
39,1,205.
3 Rejxjrt of the Joint Lutheran-Roman Catholic Study Commission, published in
Growth in Agreement, 168-189.
4 published by the Lutheran World Federation, Geneva, 1994.
5 Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VII, Minneapolis, 1985.
6 Minneapolis, 1990.
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