The Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Orthodox Churches met in Strasbourg last week to prepare for its plenary session scheduled for May 2026.
The meeting, held November 16–18, took place at the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, an institution of the Lutheran World Federation that has hosted theological dialogue and research for more than 6 decades.
The work was co-chaired by Bishop Johann Schneider of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany, representing the LWF, and Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krini of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, representing the Orthodox Churches.
Father Cosmin Pricop, Dean of the “Patriarch Justinian” Faculty of Theology in Bucharest, attended the meeting as a representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Synodality and Primacy
Over the three working days, the preparatory committee continued developing the draft declaration begun during the plenary meeting in Cyprus in 2025, focusing on synodality and primacy in the Orthodox and Lutheran traditions.
Presentations addressed the baptismal foundations of synodality and primacy in the Orthodox perspective, the Eucharistic foundations of synodality in Lutheran thought, and how authority and decision-making function at local, regional, and universal levels in both traditions.
Speakers for the Orthodox Churches included Bishop Damascene of Haapsalu (Ecumenical Patriarchate – Orthodox Church of Estonia). The LWF delegation included Jennifer Wasmuth, Heta Hurskainen, and Dirk Lange.
Dialogue Dynamics
Professor Dirk Lange, LWF’s Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations, highlighted the dynamics of the dialogue, noting that both sides “challenged each other to explore the theological foundations of their beliefs through the lens of their dialogue partner,” leading to “exciting” discussions.
In addition to working sessions, participants visited Strasbourg’s Church of St Thomas, known as the “Cathedral of Protestantism”, where the Reformer Martin Bucer and Nobel Prize-winning theologian Albert Schweitzer once served.
Next Steps
The committee set the second plenary session of the 19th round of dialogue to take place in Sète, France, May 10–16, 2026. Topics to be discussed include the reception of the Ecumenical Councils, autocephaly, and the pneumatological dimension of synodality and primacy.
