Cardinal Walter Kasper, third from left, The Vatican's senior ecumenical officer, visited the churchwide offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Oct. 1-2. He preached at a "Solemn Evening Vespers" service Oct. 1 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Park Ridge, Ill. Worship leaders were, from left, the Rev. Paul R. Landahl, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod; the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, Chicago; Kasper; and the Rev. Timothy J. Lyne, former auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Chicago. ELCA bishops from throughout the United States and Caribbean, ELCA synod vice presidents, ELCA seminary presidents and St. Luke's members attended. Kasper visited the ELCA in recognition of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration on Doctrine of Justification in Augsburg, Germany, a significant international theological agreement between Lutherans and Catholics. (Photo by Mike Watson, The Lutheran Magazine)

Cardinal Walter Kasper, third from left, The Vatican's senior ecumenical officer, visited the churchwide offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Oct. 1-2. He preached at a "Solemn Evening Vespers" service Oct. 1 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Park Ridge, Ill. Worship leaders were, from left, the Rev. Paul R. Landahl, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod; the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, Chicago; Kasper; and the Rev. Timothy J. Lyne, former auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Chicago. ELCA bishops from throughout the United States and Caribbean, ELCA synod vice presidents, ELCA seminary presidents and St. Luke's members attended. Kasper visited the ELCA in recognition of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration on Doctrine of Justification in Augsburg, Germany, a significant international theological agreement between Lutherans and Catholics. (Photo by Mike Watson, The Lutheran Magazine)