Intercelebration
In the broadest sense, intercelebration is understood as the joint celebration of a divine service by clergymen of different denominations . Usually the term is applied to the common celebration of Holy Mass and the Divine Liturgy or Lord's Supper . In this case it is a further special case of intercommunion . The basic possibility that ministers of one denomination preside over Eucharistic celebrations of another denomination can also be described as intercelebration.
The full sacrament fellowship
The interchangeability of ministers or the communal celebration of the Lord's Supper by clergymen from different churches normally require full church fellowship. This is recognized between churches that refer to the same creed, for example between the member churches of the Lutheran World Federation , to which the Lutheran regional churches in Germany belong, or the member churches of the International Lutheran Council , to which, for example, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod belong.
On the Roman Catholic side, the “full communion fellowship” (ie communion fellowship including concelebration of ministers) exists only among the Roman Catholic particular churches ( dioceses ) and with the “uniate” parts of the Eastern churches .
Churches of different denominations have also agreed on communion communion after intensive theological discussions , mostly as a pulpit and communion communion . This communion in the Lord's Supper includes both mutual participation in the Lord's Supper and intercelebration. It exists, for example, between most of the Lutheran , Reformed and Methodist churches in Europe through the Leuenberg Agreement of 1973 and between the Anglican churches of the British Isles and the Lutheran churches of the Nordic and Baltic countries based on the Porvoo community . The community based on the Bonn Agreement of 1931 between the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht and the Churches of the Anglican Church Fellowship , which initially only included mutual admission to the Lord's Supper, has long been lived as a full communion , which also includes intercelebration.
The rejection of intercelebration
The canon law of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Church law prohibit intercelebration ( CIC , can. 908 and CCEO , can. 702). Pope John Paul II stated in the encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia :
" Because the unity of the Church, which realizes the Eucharist through the sacrifice and reception of the Lord's body and blood, is subject to the indispensable claim of full communion through the bonds of the creed , the sacraments and the ecclesiastical office of leadership , it is not possible, to celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy together before these bonds are not restored to their integrity. Such a concelebration would not be a valid means, but could even prove to be an obstacle to reaching full communion. It would diminish the sense of how far away the goal is and bring about and encourage an ambiguous view of one or the other belief truth. The path to full unity can only be taken in truth. (No. 44) "
For the Orthodox churches , the common celebration of the Eucharist is the central point per se for an existing unity of church and theology , but not a way to achieve such unity. In their understanding, the Orthodox Church is defined as the group of participants in the divine liturgy (and nothing else). Hence the very existence of the term “intercelebration” represents a paradox and is therefore not possible by definition .
Pastors of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) are also not allowed to participate in an intercelebration with officials of the EKD , the Roman Catholic Church or other communities, as there is no agreement in the teaching.
literature
- Peter Krämer: Intercommunion and intercelebration: stumbling blocks or milestones for ecumenism? Roman Catholic Perspectives . In: Sabine Demel (Ed.): In the service of the community: Reality and future shape of church offices . Lit Verlag, Münster 2002, pp. 187-200.
- Joachim Track : Intercommunion and intercelebration: stumbling blocks or milestones for ecumenism? Evangelical Lutheran Perspectives . In: Sabine Demel (Ed.): In the service of the community: Reality and future shape of church offices . Lit Verlag, Münster 2002, pp. 201-216.
Web links
- Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia of Pope John Paul II (April 17, 2003)