wfn.org | ELCA To Specify Uses of Word and Sacraments

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 25, 1996

ELCA TO SPECIFY USES OF WORD AND SACRAMENTS (91 lines)
96-18-053-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The first draft of a statement on
sacramental practices drew about 850 written responses from
members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The ELCA
Task Force on Sacramental Practices considered those responses
here July 18-21 while working out details for the final draft.
     The responses served the basic purposes of underlining parts
of the draft that were confusing or could have been worded better
and of clarifying the direction of the statement, said the Rev.
Karen G. Bockelman, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Circle Pines,
Minn.  Bockelman chairs the task force.
     The direction of the statement is summarized in its title,
"The Use of the Means of Grace," she said.  "We cannot and we
have not been asked to write sacramental theology.  We are trying
to focus on issues of use."
     The draft specifies the means of grace as "the Word and the
sacraments."  "Word" includes the Bible and affirmation of the
gospel.  "Sacraments" include Holy Communion and Baptism.  The
first draft was divided into three main sections: Christian
Assembly and the Proclamation of the Word, Holy Baptism and Holy
Communion.
     The task force decided to add a fourth section on "dismissal
into the world" -- carrying the gospel beyond Sunday morning
worship.  Much of the material in the new section was in other
sections of the first draft.
     "We talked a lot about the use of the means of grace for our
lives in the world," said Bockelman.  "Strengthened and nourished
by Word and sacrament, we are dismissed into the world to bear
Christ's life to the world," she said.
     "The responses were extremely varied, ranging from brief
single comments to multi-page letters commenting on a wide
variety of topics," the Rev. Michael R. Rothaar, ELCA director
for congregational studies, told the task force.  "On the
average, each person or group commented on about three topics."
     Written responses came primarily through a form distributed
with the first draft, he said.  Others came through open forums,
parish leadership conferences, private conversations and an
exchange on LutherLink -- part of Ecunet, the ecumenical computer
network.  "There have also been published articles pertinent to
the subject or directed specifically to the draft statement,"
said Rothaar.
     The task force categorized the responses into 34 topics for
discussion.  It gave much of its attention to two topics:  the
age of admission to first communion and the Trinitarian language
-- Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- used in Baptism.
     The former American Lutheran Church (ALC) and Lutheran
Church in America (LCA) adopted "A Statement on Communion
Practices" in 1978.  "It is the practice of the Church to admit
to Holy Communion those who, in its judgement, are ready to
participate," it said, describing "readiness" as being able to
understand and appreciate the gifts God gives through the
sacrament.  "Thus infant communion is precluded," it inferred.
     The ALC, LCA and Association of Evangelical Lutheran
Churches formed the ELCA in 1988.  In 1989 the ELCA adopted the
1978 statement as its policy.
     "We have not said that infant communion is precluded," said
Bockelman.  The draft statement emphasizes that "admission to the
sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the
Church to those who are baptized."
     The Lutheran church baptizes people of any age.  A few
Lutheran congregations commune infants.
     "We are trying our best, without back-pedaling on that
issue, to say there is a larger question here," said Bockelman.
"We have a world where there are increasing numbers of adults who
have not been invited into the baptismal life."
     The task force decided not to change what the first draft
said about the "Trinitarian formula" used in Baptism.
     "Holy Baptism is administered with water in the name of the
triune God -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit," said the draft.
     The task force will present the new draft of the statement
to the board of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries
in October.  That board can reject the statement or edit it
before proposing the ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt it.
     The ELCA Church Council will review the statement in
November and formulate its recommendations to the assembly.  The
next Churchwide Assembly will be Aug. 14-20, 1997, in
Philadelphia.
     "We hope that it can become a reference point for pastors
and church councils and worship committees as they talk in their
own congregations or in their own settings about these various
issues," said Bockelman.  "We hope it will call for and be used
as a guide in the preparation of all kinds of study and
curricular materials."

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955; Lia
Christiansen, Asst. Dir., (312) 380-2956