wfn.org | USA: CONCORDAT FAILS THIS TIME

[Audrey Whitefield <a.whitefield@quest.org.uk>]

Sept. 3, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion Office
London, England

[97.8.5.7]

USA: CONCORDAT FAILS THIS TIME

(from ENS) Facing ecumenical decisions of historic significance, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) voted "full communion"
with three Reformed churches--but voted down a similar proposal with the
Episcopal Church by only six votes.

After days of presentations, open hearings and floor debate, the ELCA
Churchwide Assembly vote in Philadelphia on August 18 approved the new
relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in
America and the United Church of Christ by over 81 percent. The vote on
the Concordat of Agreement with the Episcopal Church was 66.1 percent,
just shy of the required two-thirds, 684 in favour and 351 opposed.
While the implications of the split decision sank in, the assembly
participants sang a listless version of  "The Church's One Foundation,"
some embraced each other in tears of joy or frustration.

"The ecumenical opportunity of the century has been lost," said Prof. J.
Robert Wright of New York's General Seminary, a principal author of the
Concordat. "This was a chance to bridge the great divide in Christianity
between the Reform and Catholic traditions."

In his statement, Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning pointed out that the
Episcopal Church had "overwhelmingly" approved the Concordat at its
General Convention in the same convention center a month earlier. "An
opportunity was created--and I regret that we have missed it." Although
he will encourage that the present relationship continue, he admitted
that "a certain diminishment of enthusiasm will be inevitable as we pray
that God will show each of us the way forward."

Historic episcopate draws strong reaction 

Throughout the discussion and debate one provision of the Concordat drew
the strongest opposition--a changed role for Lutheran bishops and their
incorporation into historic episcopate. Lutherans regard their ordained
ministry as a single order which includes both pastors and bishops.
Bishops are elected for six-year terms of oversight and then may return
to the parish. Under the Concordat, they would be elected for life, even
though they may continue to serve terms, and they would be "installed"
by three bishops from each of the Churches.Speaker after speaker pointed
out that the Augsburg Confession, the authoritative 16th century
document of the Lutheran Reformation, says that agreement in Word and
Sacrament is the only condition for unity. "The requirement of the
Concordat is that we adopt the hierarchical system of episcopal
structure as an additional condition for full communion, thus adding a
condition for unity which we have never had before," argued Prof.
Michael Rogness of the Luther Seminary in St. Paul.