Visit from the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation

A delegation from the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (DNK/LWB), led by Bishop Emeritus Dr h.c. Frank Otfried July, visited the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (DPCU) on 13 June. In a meeting with Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the DPCU, and Father Dr Augustinus Sander, OSB, the staff member responsible for relations with Lutherans, they discussed current issues and challenges of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue.

The Chairman of the DNK/LWB, Bishop Emeritus July, and Bishop Dr Karl-Hinrich Manzke, Commissioner for Ecumenical Affairs of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (VELKD), joined the delegation for the last time in this capacity. Cardinal Koch also welcomed Bishop Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt, who will take over the chairmanship of the DNK/LWB from 11 December 2023.

The meeting was followed by a common midday prayer with baptismal commemoration in the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà at the Campo Santo Teutonico, where the renowned Lutheran ecumenist Professor Dr Joachim Track, who was buried in Germany that day, was also remembered.

Members of the DNK/LWB delegation:

Bishop emeritus Dr h.c. Frank Otfried July
Bishop Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt
Bishop Dr Karl-Hinrich Manzke
Oberkirchenrat Michael Martin
Prof. Dr Bernd Oberdorfer
Oberkirchenrat Dr Oliver Schuegraf