Today the German Lutheran church marks the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation, when Martin Luther published his 95 theses in Wittenberg protesting against the sale of indulgences.
The profound difference in opinion on the understanding of justification – how humankind can be reconciled to God in Jesus Christ – was the fundamental issue which divided the Church in the West during the Reformation.
At a special service at Westminster Abbey in London today, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented copies of a text supporting an agreement resolving the theological dispute behind the Reformation to the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation.
Read more on the Church of England website or click here for the full text of the Joint Declaration.