wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Declines Plan to Strengthen Bishops in Disputes

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 24, 1999

ELCA ASSEMBLY DECLINES PLAN TO STRENGTHEN BISHOPS IN DISPUTES
99-CWA-64-DM

     DENVER (ELCA) -- A proposal that would have strengthened the role
of the 65 synod bishop in disputes between congregations and their
pastors failed narrowly Aug. 22 at the 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
     Model ELCA synod and congregation constitutions require a two-
thirds vote of a congregation for it to dismiss its pastor.  A proposed
amendment to those constitutions would have permitted the synod bishop
to consent, "in her or his sole discretion," to a pastor's dismissal
upon a simple majority but less than two-thirds vote of the
congregation.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, met Aug. 16-22 here at the Colorado Convention Center.  There were
more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,038 ELCA voting
members.  The theme for the biennial assembly was "Making Christ Known:
Hope for a New Century."
     A two-thirds vote was required for the expanded role of the bishop
to become part of the model synod and congregation constitutions, but
the amendment fell 11 votes short.  The vote was 567 to 296.
     Considerable debate preceded the vote.
     "This strengthens the office of the bishop in a very appropriate
way," said the Rev. Roy G. Almquist, bishop of the ELCA Southeastern
Pennsylvania Synod.  He argued that the amendment would give the bishop
opportunity to bring about a solution to congregation-pastor disputes.
     Cynthia A. Jurisson of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod, said
there are three parties to a dispute: congregation, pastor and bishop
and any of the three "can make a serious mistake."  She argued that to
give anyone "sole discretion" in such a dispute upsets checks and
balances and invites serious problems.
     Other proposed changes to the ELCA Constitution, Bylaws and
Continuing Resolutions presented to the churchwide assembly  were
largely editorial and were adopted without debate.

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