Pope Leo XIV points to common baptism as the basis for unity with Lutherans

Pope Leo XIV received Lutheran bishops from Norway on August 26, 2026, in a meeting aimed at promoting reconciliation and unity among Christian confessions. The talks come against the background of the schism that gave rise to Lutheranism, which rejects several central Catholic doctrines, among them the authority of the pope, purgatory and Church tradition, in favor of Sola scriptura.

Leo XIV said Catholic theology regards Lutheranism as a schism and a heresy, since it has no central authority uniting all Lutheran churches. One example of that diversity is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which permits the ordination of openly LGBT pastors and the celebration of marriages or blessings for same-sex couples.

At the meeting, the pope stressed the need to avoid hostility toward those with whom one disagrees, saying that "it is all too easy to adopt an attitude of hostility toward those with whom we do not agree." He said he hoped to find "concrete paths of reconciliation and fraternity" with Protestants.

Leo XIV recalled Christ's prayer for the unity of his disciples. "On the basis of our common baptism and our shared mission in the world, I pray that we may always grow together in our service to the promotion of peace and justice," he said. Both male and female Lutheran bishops took part in the audience.