wfn.org | Canadian church approves declaration of full communion

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

Lutherans-Anglicans will share resources, work closely on common goals

REGINA, Canada/GENEVA, 21 July 1999 (lwi)   Delegates attending the
Seventh Biennial Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
(ELCIC) voted nearly unanimously to approve in principle the declaration
of full communion between the ELCIC and the Anglican Church of Canada
(ACC), namely "Called to Full Communion: The Waterloo Declaration." The
ACC's General Synod had already approved the same resolution when it met
in 1998.

According to ELCIC News, the vote by the two churches was the
culmination of a relationship that has been developing for many years as
the result of official dialogues both at the national and international
levels. The two churches have worked together since 1989, under an
agreement called "Interim Sharing of the Eucharist."

The ELCIC convention under the theme "Jubilee - In Christ Called to a
New Beginning," brought together 349 delegates, 99 visitors and 86
special guests in Regina from 7 to 11 July 1999.

Full communion does not mean a merger of the two churches, but they will
share resources and work closely together on common goals while keeping
their distinct identities. "We are not seeking union; we are seeking
strength," the ELCIC News quotes the Anglican Archbishop Michael Peers
as saying.

One delegate dubbed the current form of 'The Waterloo Declaration', "the
beta version" when it was noted that some refining of the document is
still in progress. Final approval will be sought when both churches meet
in simultaneous conventions in Waterloo, Ontario, in July 2001.

In Canada there are more than 800,000 Anglicans represented in 30
dioceses. The Most Rev. Michael Peers is the head of the ACC. The ELCIC,
a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has a membership of
198,000. It is headed by Bishop Telmor Sartison. Both churches belong to
the 19-member Canadian Council of Churches (CCC).

In a similar near unanimous vote, delegates approved a resolution to
invite Lutheran Church - Canada (LC-C) to join in a relationship of
interim sharing of the Eucharist. While delegates strongly supported the
intent of the resolution, they expressed concern that LC-C might not be
able to respond favorably to the overture in view of the inability of
the two churches to grow closer in spite of a long history of
discussions, reports the ELCIC News.

The ELCIC practices Eucharistic hospitality to all the baptized while
LC-C limits reception of communion to its own members. It was also noted
that LC-C would need to accept the celebration of communion by ordained
ELCIC pastors who are women when LC-C does not ordain women.

The Rev. Donald Sjoberg, former bishop of the ELCIC, appeared to
summarize delegates' concerns when he said: "After many years of
theological discussions, I am not clear what road we would be on. Are
there other aspects of our relationship that would better use our time?"

Since LC-C will not meet in convention until 2002, it is unlikely that
that church will be able to make an official response before then.
However, the resolution calls on the terms of the agreement to be
defined by the President of LC-C and the Bishop of the ELCIC, in
consultation with their Council of Presidents and Conference of Bishops
respectively.

The Lutheran Church-Canada was founded in 1988 when the Canadian
congregations of St. Louis-based the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
(LCMS) formed an autonomous Canadian church and three districts. With a
membership of 79,000, the LC-C retains close ties with the LCMS and
other Lutheran church bodies around the world which follow the
biblically-based Lutheran Confessions. It is in contact with the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

(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 acknowledgement.]

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/