wfn.org | ELCA assembly to consider relationship with Protestant churches

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Proposed Lutheran-Episcopalian agreement has generated some controversy

CHICAGO, United States of America/GENEVA,31 July 1999 (lwi) - Voting
members to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide
Assembly meeting from 16 to 22 August in Denver, USA, are expected to
act on proposed full communion agreements with two Protestant churches,
consider a proposed social statement on economic life and elect a new
editor for The Lutheran, the magazine of the ELCA.

According to ELCA's news and information service, ELCA News, about 2,300
participants including 1,039 voting members, are registered for the
biennial assembly at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, under the
theme "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century". The churchwide
assembly is the highest legislative authority of the more than 5.1
million-member ELCA, which is the fifth largest Protestant denomination
in the United States of America. The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding
bishop of the ELCA, will chair the assembly.

A significant issue before the assembly, which has generated some
controversy in the church is the proposed full communion agreement,
"Called to Common Mission" (CCM), with the 2.5 million-member Episcopal
Church. It is a revision of the "Concordat of Agreement", a full
communion proposal that fell six votes short of the required two-thirds
for approval at the 1997 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Philadelphia.

Lutherans and Episcopalians agree on the doctrine of apostolic
succession, an ongoing "faithful proclamation of Christ. Episcopalians
bring to the relationship the "historic episcopate," a succession of
bishops as a sign of unity back to the earliest days of the Christian
church. If CCM is approved, the ELCA will incorporate the historic
episcopate. Many critics oppose this CCM provision.

This spring and summer, CCM was discussed at most of the ELCA's 64 synod
assemblies, and many of them voted on non-binding resolutions. According
to the ELCA News, the church's departments for Synodical Relations and
Ecumenical Affairs respectively, report that 25 synods adopted
resolutions supporting CCM and four took resolutions specifically
rejecting it. At many of the synod assemblies, voting members also
considered an alternative proposal known as the Mahtomedi Resolution.

The ELCA members opposed to CCM wrote the resolution at a conference
earlier this year in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. During the meeting, it was
recommended that "the 1999 Churchwide Assembly reject" CCM, reaffirm a
commitment to work together with the Episcopal church under the
guidelines of an interim agreement adopted in 1982, and welcome
Episcopal clergy to serve in ELCA congregations "consistent with the
ELCA's Confession of Faith" as stated in the Lutheran church's
Constitution. To be approved at the churchwide assembly, CCM must be
adopted by a two-thirds majority vote.

The assembly is also expected to consider "Following Our Shepherd to
Full Communion", a full communion agreement with the 49,000-member
Moravian Church in America, another Protestant denomination. Full
communion agreements open possibilities for exchange of clergy and other
cooperative ministries. In 1997 the ELCA assembly approved a full
communion agreement with the Presbyterian Church-U.S.A., Reformed Church
in America and United Church of Christ.

Among other issues, voting members will also consider a proposed social
statement on economic life, "Toward Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood
for All." According to ELCA News, the statement addresses economic
issues relating to people living in poverty, matters of vocation and
work, sharing resources and sustainability of the environment,
agriculture and low income communities.

(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing 58 million of the world's 61.5 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven
years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council
which meets annually, and its Executive Committee.)

[Lutheran World Information is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented
does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various
units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (lwi), the
material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/