Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification [Paperback]

Lutheran World Federation (Author), Roman Catholic Church (Author), Catholic Church (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2000

This volume presents in English the official Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, confirmed by the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church in Augsburg, Germany, in October 1999. The results of decades of Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue, this primary document represents an ecumenical event of historical signifance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 47 pages
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (June 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802847749
• ISBN-13: 978-0802847744
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Protestantism > Lutheran
  • #79 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Theology > General
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By grace alone..., July 26, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (Paperback)

It often amazes me that there seems to be an inverse relationship to the importance of a document and the number of words contained therein. Think of how few words are in the Lord's Prayer, the 23rd Psalm, the Gettysburg Address. This book continues in that fashion. In a mere 38 pages of text, this small booklet represents a major move in ecumenical understanding between Catholic and Protestant churches.

For hundreds of years, the Lutheran church, the definitive church of the start of the Reformation, and the Roman Catholic church have looked suspiciously upon each other in political and theological circles. With the fall of markedly theocratic states in the West, the overt national/party political aspects of the division were able to be set aside, so that dialogue could be undertaken in earnest in theological matters.

The doctrine of Justification is important for Christians -- one of Luther's primary concerns against the institutional church was its practices with regard to justification; the Roman Catholic church in many ways tacitly agreed with many of Luther's criticisms in the developments of the Counter-Reformation. However, given the personalities and the politics involved (not the least of which involved the Lutherans and the Catholics describing each other's institution and leadership in terms of being the antichrist), dialogue and agreement was hardly possible.

The twentieth century may be remembered as the century in which ages-old attitudes began to change, and ecumenical action in earnest began to develop. As stated in the preamble, this document does not describe all that either the Lutheran or the Roman Catholic churches hold as part of their doctrines of justification; however, it does cover those areas of common accord. On the basis of these broad areas, both sides agree that the remaining differences are no longer grounds for doctrinal condemnations.

The common agreement comes down to this: that by grace alone, and not through any particular merit earned or created on our part, in faith in Christ's salvific work. It denies works righteousness without rendering irrelevant the good works people can and should do; it denies a monopoly on God's grace by any human being or institution, or the absence of grace from such.

While the document of the Joint Declaration is new, the sentiments are not; there is a brief section on sources that show how the principles contained here come from the longer traditions of the churches, and are not made up by committee.

This is an important work, worthy of study by Catholics and Protestants as a beacon of hope for reconciliation among Christians, that they truly may all be one body in Christ.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Renunciation of Linguistic Fallacies, June 9, 2007

By 

Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D. (Northville, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (Paperback)

This is a very significant document that theoretically puts aside the crux of the Protestant Reformation. In my own research prior to this document's release, I concluded that the differences on the subject of justification between the Protestant and Catholic positions were the result of two linguistic fallacies: (1) Equivocation and (2) Distinction without a Difference (Difvocation). Equivocation is about terms sounding the same but the underlying definitions that the parties are using are different. In this case terms like "saved" meant something different to the Protestant or Evangelical vs. the Catholic. To the Protestant it referred to the event of justification. To Catholics it can refer to entering heaven. Significant differences. Difvocation is about terms sounding differently but having the same underlying definition. In this case "saved" (for the Protestant or Evangelical) and "justification" (for the Catholic). What is significant with the Agreement on Justification (and it is much more involved that the simple illustration I just gave) is that neither church changed any of their doctrines to come to this agreement. That is strong evidence that the problem since the Protestant Reformation, on this issue, was linguistic confusion. Duh!!! As to the imputed vs. infused debate, I think the authors understood that this too might be labeled also as Difvocation. This is a bit dicer because there is a definitional difference between infused justification (the person is made sinless) and imputed (the person is just claimed to be forgiven). Infused refers to totally wiping away the sin; while imputed refers to Luther's concept of covering up the pile of dung with snow. But in the end, the difference has no meaning. Regardless of which position you take, it changes nothing about what a person is suppose to believe or do to get to heaven. It is a distinction without a difference. This document does all of that.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank God, March 1, 2007

By 

Brian Roberts "Author" (Metro Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (Paperback)

This little book proves that a reunification of the Catholic Church is possible. The book is essential in an understanding of what unites Christians.