wfn.org | ELCA to consider relationship with Protestant churches (corrected)

[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. Seventeen synods
adopted the Mahtomedi Resolution, two passed similar resolutions supporting
ecumenical mission without the historic episcopate, and 15 synods
specifically rejected the resolution.  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/