Title: ELCA Council Commends Renewal Initiative Focused on the Bible ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 19, 2007
ELCA Council Commends Renewal Initiative Focused on the Bible 07-063-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the ELCA's 2007 Churchwide Assembly affirm an initiative and invite the church's 4.85 million members to engage the Bible. "Book of Faith: Lutherans Read the Bible" is a proposal "to form culture and customs in this church that will open it to a new level of valuing and being shaped by the power of the Word."
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here April 14-16. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11.
Lutherans in North Carolina proposed the initiative in a resolution to the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The assembly referred the resolution on "foundational issues of the authority of Scripture and principles of biblical interpretation" to ELCA staff "for development of a report and possible recommendations."
The council assigned direction of the initiative to the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop with program implementation to be carried out by ELCA Vocation and Education.
The Rev. Stanley N. Olson, executive director, ELCA Vocation and Education, told the council, "The Book of Faith initiative is aimed at renewal at the core -- the Bible as God's Word for us."
Olson said the Lutheran church was engaged in a number of major Bible study efforts throughout the 20th century. Those efforts focused on adults and on specific printed resources, he said.
Olson likened the Book of Faith initiative more to the Lutheran Reformation -- "a renewal of the church growing out the Word." The Reformation was about the core of the Church, he said. "It was high profile. It had to do with institutions. It was directed to all ages and all aspects of Christian life. It was integrative."
The council asked the 2007 Churchwide Assembly to adopt two resolutions. The first is an affirmation that this initiative is about "the core, central things, essential things, and that it is in a context of history, a context of confession of faith, an ecumenical and global context," Olson said.
The second resolution launches the initiative, he said, in two general directions: "for a broader and deeper engagement of the Scriptures by this church, and for intentional teaching, understanding and use of the Lutheran approaches to Scripture that have proven so fruitful over the years."
"We have a great opportunity here to be a part of another renewal of the church," Olson concluded. -- -- --
Information about the Book of Faith initiative is at http://www.ELCA.org/bookoffaith/ on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog