wfn.org | ELCA approves full communion with Episcopalians

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

Debate centered on "historic episcopate"

DENVER, United States of America/GENEVA, 20 August 1999 (lwi) - With a
two-thirds vote, the biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) meeting at the Colorado Convention
Center in Denver, U.S.A, from 16 to 22 August 1999, approved full
communion with The Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.

According to a news release from the ELCA's news and information service
ELCA News, the 18 August debate about whether the ELCA should declare
full communion with the 2.5 million-member Episcopal church narrowed to
one question: --Should the ELCA adopt a form of the "historic
episcopate" in order to be in full communion with Episcopalians?

The issue of the "historic episcopate" has stirred feelings deeply
rooted in several different forms of Lutheran piety. The more than 5.1
million-member ELCA, formed in 1987 by the merger of three Lutheran
church bodies, contains people whose former church bodies had varied
understandings about the roles or need for pastors and bishops. The
second largest Lutheran church in the world, the ELCA is a member of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

With the approval of the agreement, future Lutheran bishops would be
installed by bishops whose churches already have the historic
episcopate, the concept that those who ordain new pastors are from a
line of bishops stretching back to the earliest days of the church. Only
bishops would be allowed to ordain new pastors. In return, The Episcopal
Church, which is the U.S.A. province of the worldwide Anglican church,
would -- if that church agrees -- immediately recognize all current
Lutheran pastors and bishops as being already ordained into the historic
episcopate.

For some Lutherans, this restores what the 16th century Reformation was
unable to preserve.  The Rev. G. Scott Cady of the ELCA New England
Synod said the Reformers did not see the episcopate as "folly" but that
circumstances of the time prevented some Lutheran churches from
retaining it. "Let us not miss this truly joyous and blessed opportunity
to carry on the Reformers' dreams," Cady said.

Opponents to the measure contend that American Lutherans have never had
the historic episcopate and do not need it. The Rev. William Saunders of
the ELCA Southern Ohio Synod said; "I would feel hypocritical accepting
something that is not truly necessary in the one
holy, catholic and apostolic faith."

The Rev. Norman Wahl of Rochester, Minnesota, argued that the term
"historic episcopate" is used too loosely and that adopting it might
"narrow" the ELCA's ecumenical agenda, which also includes full
communion with churches of the Reformed tradition.

"We don't need the historic episcopate to give us unity," said the Rev.
Julie Jones of the Northern Great Lakes Synod, in opposition to the
proposal.

Many proponents spoke of the warm relations they have with Episcopalians
in their hometowns and said they would welcome a declaration of full
communion as a means of deepening those relationships

The Rev. John Thomas, president-elect of the United Church of Christ
(UCC), one of the Reformed denominations in full communion with the
ELCA, said the UCC was also considering ecumenical ways of maintaining
the office of "oversight" -- another way of describing the function of a
bishop. "If you move forward," he said, "you will encourage and
challenge us to take up this issue in our own life."

Beth Shoffner of the ELCA North Carolina Synod urged the assembly's
voting members to "stop clinging to the boat" and fearing the
"boisterous winds of our doubts". She said she saw, in the agreement,
"the outstretched hand of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit."

The Rev. Steven Ullestad, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod,
said he previously opposed full communion with the Episcopalians but had
learned enough about them to move to the other side. He said; "The
greatest gift we can offer each other is the creation of an episcopate
that is both evangelical and historic; for the sake not only of our
relationship with the Episcopal Church, but for our witness to the
world."

The Rev. Timothy F. Lull, president of Pacific Lutheran Theological
Seminary, Berkeley, California, listed the events of what he called a
"remarkable century of change" for Lutherans. The church, he said, has
moved from social "quietism to having a vigorous public statement." It
has approved ordination for women, made commitments to mission that
expanded the church beyond its northern European roots, renewed its
worship life, and planted thousands of new churches. Formerly, "no one
would have picked Lutherans as likely to be ecumenical leaders.  Now
others look to us for our leadership," he added.

The 1997 ELCA Churchwide Assembly approved a relationship of full
communion with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in
America and United Church of Christ.

(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. The LWF secretariat
is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[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 acknowledgement.]

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