The largest Lutheran denomination in the US approved a declaration recognizing quote “there are no longer church-dividing issues” on many points with the Roman Catholic Church. The “Declaration on the Way” was approved by the 2016 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly held last week (August 8-13) in New Orleans. The declaration comes as Lutheran and Catholic churches prepare to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The ELCA also voted overwhelmingly at the meeting to avoid investments in companies that profit from Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory and to call on the US government to end all financial and military aid to Israel.