User:Greekgoddess50/Declaration on the Way Between the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches

2017 marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther tacked 95 theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. There has been much strife, anger, bitterness, dissension and strain between the Lutheran and Catholic Churches for the majority of this time period including destructive, bloody, deadly wars.

A little over 50 years ago the two churches began participating in open discussions and communicating about their differences, but more importantly their commonalities. In 2016, the Declaration on the Way document was agreed upon by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran church synod who spoke and acted on behalf of all Lutheran synods. This Declaration contained 32 agreements relating to church, ministry and the Eucharist (communion beliefs). It was intended to end church-dividing issues and bring peace to both churches who are similar but still different. There are outstanding issues that remain, but the Declaration on the Way is common ground for future open dialogue.