.- During the presentation of the book, “Harvesting the Fruits. Fundamental Aspects of the Christian Faith in Ecumenical Dialogue. Consensus, Convergences and Differences,” the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Cardinal Walter Kasper, announced that Pope Benedict XVI will soon visit the Lutheran Church of Rome.
During the ceremony, Cardinal Kasper explained that “the Pope has the intention of visiting the Lutheran Church of Rome,” although a date has not yet been set.
Regarding the book, the cardinal said it was the result of “two years of intense efforts I undertook with officials of my pontifical council, in collaboration with our consultors and ecumenical partners.”
He further explained that the work analyzes “the main Protestant communities that were the first to establish ties with the Church following the Second Vatican Council, as well as examining the current situation, "with an eye both to the past and to the future.”
Cardinal Kasper also announced that a symposium, due to be held in February 2010, will use the book as its starting point to discuss the future of Western ecumenism.
