Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 249

2026 Convention Workbook
214 
THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS  —COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
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stress on justification by faith alone, full stop, must be preserved. Lutheran theology forthrightly 
declares that justification means to be declared righteous by God for Christ’s sake (Ap IV , 72). It 
indicates that faith’s primary effect must be seen apart from any emphasis on our love or our 
sanctification because faith effectively receives what it is promised: the forgiveness of sins for 
Jesus’ sake. We understand that the main point of this section is that for both sides faith never 
remains alone (sola fides numquam sola). So also, faith is never divorced from sanctification.
45  
Similarly, as the Final Report goes further into 3.4 Shared Aspects of Justification, we 
appreciate the concern to emphasize the levels at which participants found agreement. Here the 
main point of agreement is that for both sides justification requires a faith that is dependent on 
grace as mediated by the church where the gospel is preached and the sacraments are 
administered. And, again, that such faith is never alone—never without works.  
Thus the Report argues that the Council of Trent and Book of Concord are closer than 
“previously supposed.” If there are indeed such “closer affinities,” does that judgment give 
proper recognition to the discontinuity that remains? As “Concordia Lutherans” we would never 
reject the teaching of sanctification or that faith is active in love. Yet, the Lutheran confessors 
were always also wary about any emphasis on sanctification that called into question the chief 
article—that justification is by faith alone.   
Therefore, even if the converted and believers have the beginnings of renewal, 
sanctification, love, virtues, and good works, yet these cannot, should not, and must not 
be introduced or mixed with the article of justification before God, so that the proper 
honor may continue to be accorded our Redeemer Christ and (because our new obedience 
is imperfect and impure) so that the consciences under attack may have a reliable 
comfort.
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Section “3.5 Cooperation?”—human cooperation in justification—is appropriately stated as a 
question. The Report indicates that Rome would answer with an unambiguous affirmative, 
insisting on “man’s personal consent” to justification, even if such “consent to God’s will” is not 
by human power (left unsaid is the assumption of infused grace). Lutherans, however, can only 
speak of cooperation as something that occurs after God’s justification of sinners.  
 
Another difference remains regarding 3.6 Certainty of Salvation. The Lutheran side holds that 
the certainty of God’s undeserved favor toward sinners results in the certainty of salvation. The 
Roman view claims only a certainty about God intending salvation.  
 
The last portion of the discussion of justification in the Final Report, 4. Open Questions, is a 
vital addendum to the previous discussions. We affirm the need for a discussion of eschatology 
(§ 4.1). We are particularly grateful for § 4.2’s characterization of the different views on 
“Christian renewal.” Sections 4.3 and 4.4 are also helpful as clarifications.  
  
b. Affirmation 
 
 
45 Final Report, Commonalities, section 3.3, p. 19. 
46 FC SD III, 34; KW 568. 
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The essential claim of JDDJ was the existence of “a common understanding of our justification 
by God’s grace through faith in Christ” (Preamble, § 4.). That is, past differences between 
Lutherans and Roman Catholics do not overrule a present “consensus on basic truths of the 
doctrine of justification” (Preamble, § 5.). The response of the LCMS did not affirm such a 
consensus, finding that JDDJ adopted a transformational view of justification rather than the 
Lutheran understanding: that justification is God’s declaration of righteousness based on his 
utterly undeserved favor for fallen, un-transformed, sinners, on account of Christ and his merits 
alone.
47  
 
We see a milder and more modest claim here in the Final Report that we can generally affirm. It 
argues that there is common ground on the doctrine justification as illustrated in sections 3.3 and 
3.4 (Faith Becomes Effective through Love Commonalities). This common ground is most 
evident in the affirmation that faith never remains alone (sola fides numquam sola). However, 
what Lutherans mean is that sanctification always flows from faith, but is never its cause.  
 
At the same time, we want to emphasize the points of disagreement that remain. And, contrary to 
JDDJ, the mutual condemnations of the 16
th century remain as an ecumenical challenge because 
of the central question—Is justification solely on account of the undeserved favor of God 
received only by faith or is it finally dependent on a man’s transformation (the process of 
sanctification)? 
 
However, we also hasten to add that such a frank assessment of the remaining differences
 is not a 
repudiation of these discussions between the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church. Rather, it 
points to the value—indeed the necessity —of ongoing respectful conversations for the sake of 
the church catholic and her mission. Moreover, honest assessments are the only way that 
meaningful ecumenical progress can be envisioned.
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IV. Conclusion  
 
In our extensive review of the Final Report we have emphasized questions and points of 
concern—some of which may be viewed as disagreements with the conclusions of the discussion 
participants. For that reason we want to emphasize yet again our overall support for the ongoing 
conversations. Our response is intended to indicate our profound appreciation for the obviously 
cordial and respectful character of these conversations, our acknowledgment of important points 
of agreement and clarification, and our encouragement that such ecumenical meetings between 
ILC church representatives and Roman Catholics would continue.  
 
With regard to further meetings, we gladly affirm section I V.  Ecumenical Tasks in the Horizon 
of Intentional Catholicity. We also appreciate section V . Ministry and Ordination—
Addendum. Given that the conversations surfaced a legitimate concern by an LCMS participant 
on the matter of ordination, we are grateful that the discussion process allowed for a further 
 
47 The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in Confessional 
Lutheran Perspective (1999), pp. 17-18. We also note a recent document that distinguishes the LCMS from the 
Lutheran World Federation (LWF)The LWF Today (2024), especially pages 12-14.   
48 Please see the document cited earlier: “Theological Dialogue with Other Christian Church Bodies,” September 17, 
2011, document link is at https://files.lcms.org/dl/f/F44DF93E-1ADB-45DB-ABDC-D128581EEA15. 
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clarification of the LCMS understanding of ordination by including a letter from President 
Matthew C. Harrison and a document provided by the staff of the LCMS Commission on 
Theology and Church Relations.  
 
In closing, we would suggest some additional topics for discussion. We encourage further 
meetings to consider the cult of saints and purgatory, especially in the context of ongoing 
discussions of the doctrine of justification. With regard to church and ministry, we hope the 
topics of apostolic succession, the ordination of women, and the papacy as well as the priesthood 
of all believers might be given attention. In addition, we think a thorough discussion and 
comparison of views on the doctrine of the church is of great importance. And, lastly, we believe 
that attention to moral teachings and social issues would be a particularly beneficial discussion 
and may be an encouragement for confessional Lutherans and Roman Catholics to cooperate in 
these areas.   
 
Thank you for inviting our response. And thank you for your patience and understanding given 
the length of time between your request and this response.  
 
Adopted 
Commission on Theology and Church Relations 
October 4, 2024