wfn.org | AME-ELCA DIALOGUE IN TRANSITION

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

News from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

June 6, 1996

The first formal round of talks has concluded between the
African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  In a
communique to the press, the dialogue members said the
two churches are working "toward creating understanding
of one another and fostering such dialogue among our
congregations."  The churches held the dialogue's
concluding session at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg, Pa.  Daniel A. Payne, a prominent 19th
century bishop of the AME Church, graduated from that
ELCA seminary.  The churches charged a ordinating
committee to oversee distribution of "Understanding One
Another," a booklet the dialogue produced.  The
committee will consider organizing a major celebration of
the dialogue's progress and formulate recommendations
for the next round of talks.  Formal talks between the
AME Church and ELCA began in 1992.  The AME
Church participates in the Consultation on Church Union
with eight other church bodies, but its talks with the ELCA
is its first bilateral dialogue.  The ELCA is involved in
several bilateral dialogues, but this is its first with one of the
historic African American churches.

[ELCA News and Information: 8765 W. Higgins Road,
Chicago, IL   60631; phone 312/380-2963]