wfn.org | LWF Executive Committee Approves Mandates for Two New Dialogue

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

LWF Approves Mandates for Two New Dialogue Commissions
US Lutheran Bishop McCoid New Co-chairperson of
Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission

GENEVA, 23 February 2004 (LWI) - At its February 21-23 meeting
here, the Executive Committee of the Lutheran World Federation
(LWF) approved the mandates of two new dialogue commissions: an
Anglican-Lutheran International Commission (ALIC) and a
Lutheran-Reformed Joint Commission. The committee asked LWF
General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko to request from the
member churches names of possible persons to the members of
both commissions.

According to its mandate ALIC is asked to provide guidance
regarding the evaluation and implementation of the Report of the
Anglican-Lutheran International Working Group (2000-2002), Growth
in Communion. It will also consider ways to engage with and
promote the wider ecumenical movement, and, in particular, give
consideration to the ecumenical role and contribution of
Christian world communions  

The new Lutheran-Reformed Joint Commission is asked to provide
guidance with regard to the evaluation and implementation of
the report Called to Communion and Common Witness, Report of the
Joint Working Group between the Lutheran World Federation and the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches (1999-2001). Proposed are
also two studies: one on structures and communion, the other on
the histories of Lutheran and Reformed churches with a specific
focus on the particular developments, which have
determined, positively and negatively, Lutheran-Reformed
relations. It is hoped that the commission will also provide a
report on membership of united churches combining Lutheran and
Reformed traditions in the LWF and World Alliance of Reformed
Churches. 

The LWF Executive Committee also appointed Bishop Donald J.
McCoid from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) new
Lutheran Co-chairperson of the Lutheran-Orthodox Joint
Commission. McCoid will succeed Archbishop Georg D. Kretschmar,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States.
Kretschmar had declared that he would step down from this
position after the commissions next meeting October 8-15, but
will retain his place as a commission member.

McCoid is bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod. He
was chairperson of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, 1999-2003, and
is currently on the theological advisory committee of the
Conference of Bishops. He also serves as Lutheran Co-chairperson
for the Lutheran-Orthodox bilateral discussions and meetings in
the United States of America.

The 13-member Executive Committee comprises the LWF President,
five Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and chairpersons of the
Program Committees. It oversees the proper functioning of the LWF
between meetings of the Council, and acts as the LWF Board of
Trustees and Personnel Committee. The current committee was
appointed at the July 2003 LWF Council meeting in Winnipeg,
Canada. It is chaired by LWF President Bishop Mark S. Hanson,
ELCA presiding bishop. The committee normally meets twice a year.
(452 words)

[The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million
of the almost 66 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)
 
[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information
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