What commonalities do Lutheran and Pentecostal Christians share? How can they step up their joint witness in the world? Members of an international dialogue group have been meeting to explore these key questions.
Members of the International Lutheran-Pentecostal Dialogue Commission meet together at the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California from 23 to 27 September. Photo: LWF
First round of International Lutheran-Pentecostal Dialogue concludes in California
(LWI) - Christian identity, proclamation of the Gospel, attention to the poor and marginalized, healing and deliverance ministries. These were among the topics on the agenda as delegations from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF) met at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, at the end of September.
Prof. Dr Dirk Lange, LWF’s Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations and co-secretary for dialogue commission, was among those taking part in the meeting. He noted that “the two delegations not only prayed with each other but also for each other. Through worship and dialogue, walking and sharing together, we discern the path of God’s desired unity.”
Participants in the International Lutheran-Pentecostal Dialogue Commission attend Sunday worship at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ cathedral. Photo: LWF/D. Lange
The meeting marked the conclusion of the First Round of the International Lutheran-Pentecostal Dialogue which began in 2016 with a gathering in Baguio City in the Philippines. Since then, delegations from the two world communions have met together in Wittenberg, Germany, in 2017, in Santiago de Chile in 2018 and in Antananarivo, Madagascar, in 2019.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, subsequent meetings took place online, meaning that it was a special joy for the ten participants to gather in person in the United States from 23 to 27 September. Each day began and ended with devotions led by both Lutheran and Pentecostal members of the dialogue group.
Focusing on the risen Christ
On Sunday, participants attended a worship service at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ, a large, mainly black Pentecostal church. “Although Lutheran and Pentecostal worship services may differ in style,” Lange said, “the focus on the risen Christ and Christ’s salvific action is the same.”
This first round of the dialogue was preceded by preparatory meetings from 2004 to 2010 organized by the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg. The dialogue has focused on different aspects of Christian identity and ministry, including the importance of proclaiming the gospel in word and deed, attention to the poor and marginalized, as well as the ministries of healing and deliverance.
The upcoming report “shows much overlap between the two church families, suggesting areas of common concern and possibilities for common witness.” Dr. Jean-Daniel Plüss, Pentecostal co-chair of the Lutheran-Pentecostal Dialogue Commission
During their encounter, participants worked together on a report on the outcomes of this first round of dialogue which will be submitted to both the LWF and the PWF, with a publication planned for next year. Reflecting on the successful outcome of the meeting, Dr. Jean-Daniel Plüss, Pentecostal co-chair of the commission, said the report covers “in some detail the themes that have been discussed over the past years and shows much overlap between the two church families, suggesting areas of common concern and possibilities for common witness.”
“We have also highly recommended the initiation of a second round which could focus on worship, worship practices, Christian formation within our two churches,” Lange concluded.
