wfn.org | ELCA Presiding Bishop Pledges Care for Seminarians in CCM Aftermath

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 30, 1999

ELCA PRESIDING BISHOP PLEDGES CARE FOR SEMINARIANS IN CCM AFTERMATH
99-239-JB

     ST. PAUL, MINN. (ELCA) -  The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding
bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), pledged to
do "all I can" to help seminarians who may have concerns about their
roles in the church following the 1999 Churchwide Assembly's approval of
an historic full communion agreement with The Episcopal Church.
     Anderson also lifted up the importance of lay people in the church
and said he wants the ELCA "to continue to find ways for a good
relationship" with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), despite
its criticisms of the ELCA's full-communion agreements.
     Anderson made the remarks Sept. 26 here at Gloria Dei Lutheran
Church, his first public question-and-answer session since the assembly.
The session focused on the ELCA assembly's approval last month of a
full-communion proposal with the Episcopal Church, known as "Called to
Common Mission" (CCM). About 250 people attended the session, including
clergy, lay people, seminary students and faculty.
     CCM calls on the churches to engage in cooperative ministries and
allows for exchange of clergy in congregations under certain
circumstances.  The proposal must now be approved by a convention of the
Episcopal Church, which meets next summer in Denver.
     Some Lutherans opposed CCM because it required the ELCA to adopt
the "historic episcopate," a succession of bishops as a sign of church
unity back to the earliest days of the Christian church.  They say the
agreement places greater emphasis on church hierarchy and threatens
Lutheran identity.
     For example, the agreement will require a bishop to preside at all
clergy ordinations.  Presently, ELCA bishops have such a role, but can
delegate it to another ordained person.
     The assembly adopted CCM 716-317, 27 votes more than the required
two-thirds for approval.
     Speakers and audience participants at the Gloria Dei session spoke
for and against CCM, and offered written expressions of their hopes and
concerns about the ELCA which were given to Anderson and two synod
bishops who were present, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson of the ELCA Saint Paul
Area Synod and the Rev. David W. Olson of the ELCA Minneapolis Area
Synod.
     The Rev. Patrick R. Keifert, professor of systematic theology,
Luther Seminary, St. Paul,  told the audience he has spoken with five
seminary students who have told him they are considering leaving the
ELCA, mostly over concerns about the "nature of supervision" expressed
by CCM.
     "All five of these students I want as pastors in the ELCA," he
said. "It would be a terrible loss if they went elsewhere."
     "I am a person wondering if there is a place or need for me in
this church," added Carol Nelson, senior at Luther Seminary.
     "The bottom line for me is I'm going to do all I can to help
seminarians," Anderson said to the audience. "I want them to know that
this is a church that welcomes them."
     Sharon Josephson, Detroit Lakes, Minn., said the role of lay
people in the church in light of CCM  "is our great concern."  She also
questioned if the agreement will result in "an additional wall" between
lay people and clergy.
     In response, Anderson said in the Lutheran church, the role of lay
people in the church is crucial and the potential of the laity has never
been fully realized.  If this new relationship with the Episcopal Church
results in greater involvement of lay people, this would be a "gift" to
the whole Christian church, he said.
     The Rev. Michael L. Sherer, editor of the Metro Lutheran, a
Lutheran publication circulated in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin,
asked Anderson if he had any special concerns about the ELCA's
relationship with the LCMS, in light of criticisms from the Rev. A.L.
Barry, LCMS president.  Barry issued a statement shortly after the
Denver assembly criticizing the ELCA for entering into full communion
agreements.
     Despite the criticism, Anderson said he wanted to continue to
build a relationship with the LCMS and said he was "heartened" Barry did
not threaten to break off ongoing dialogues between the two Lutheran
bodies.  Barry's statement makes a distinction between "religious
fellowship" and "cooperation in ministry," he said.
     During the discussion, Hanson noted the ELCA Conference of Bishops
will meet Sept. 30-Oct. 5 in Chicago and should consider sending "pretty
clear" signals of how CCM will be carried out, particularly in relation
to pastors, bishops and seminary students.  Hanson also said this is a
time of anxiety for some in the ELCA and a time of excitement for
others.
     The Conference of Bishops is an advisory group of the 65 bishops
of the ELCA's synods, the presiding bishop and ELCA secretary.
     "As a bishop, I will commit myself as a listener for those who are
opposed to CCM," Hanson said, adding he feared that some conversations
about CCM "will take place in isolation."
     Speakers and audience members commented on several other issues
related to CCM:
     +Most speakers who attended the assembly praised Anderson for the
way the CCM discussions and voting were handled.  "Bishop Anderson did a
marvelous job in making it possible for most people to speak," said the
Rev. Judy A. Burgett Winzig, Minneapolis Area Synod voting member.
     David Laden, Saint Paul Area Synod voting member, said Anderson
was "very good" as chair, but also said the process of adopting CCM was
"flawed" because CCM "is the wrong way to approach ecumenical
relationships."
     +At least one person suggested faculty at Luther Seminary were
universally opposed to CCM.  In response, the Rev. Arland J. Hultgren,
professor of New Testament, Luther Seminary, said there are faculty
members who support CCM, and he said the Rev. David L. Tiede, president,
has publicly stated the seminary will be supportive.
     +In response to a question about whether the ELCA will have a
"bigger" structure if CCM is implemented, Anderson said the ELCA will be
the same size organization as it is now.
     +Anderson asked the audience for comments on whether the "Joint
Commission," which will be formed to oversee CCM's implementation,
should be a small group of about three people from each church body, or
a larger group consisting of as many 10 from each church.  Anderson said
he's not sure how many should be included and hoped to learn more from
various groups in question-and-answer sessions.
     +In response to a question about whether the leadership of the
ELCA determined how CCM was reported by The Lutheran, the magazine of
the ELCA, Anderson reminded the audience that the editor is elected by
and accountable to the churchwide assembly, and what goes in the
magazine is determined by the staff.
     +An amendment to CCM approved at the assembly calls on synod
bishops to "regularly ordain" seminarians who have been called by a
congregation.  Olson said "regularly" was interpreted by the assembly's
Reference and Counsel Committee to mean that a bishop may not
intentionally be absent from an ordination.  Regularly allows for
exceptions, but only in extreme emergencies, he said.
     +Concerns about a new hierarchy in the ELCA resulting from CCM
were expressed by more than one speaker. "It feels like hierarchy, and
it informs practice," said Nelson.
      "This seems to enhance hierarchy at a time when (the concept of)
hierarchy is going the other way," said Bill Nord, Calvary Lutheran
Church, Golden Valley, Minn.
     +Though the ELCA approved CCM, it is not in effect.  It will be
effective "if and when" the Episcopal Church approves it, Anderson said.
     +The Rev. Merlyn E. Satrom, retired pastor, St. Paul, said he is
"disturbed so few people have read the (CCM) documents."  Satrom was one
of six ELCA members who participated in the Lutheran-Episcopal dialogue
team that led to the writing of CCM, and chairs the bishop's committee
for ecumenical affairs for the St. Paul Area Synod.
     "The documents we have prepared were carefully considered," he
said, adding that the ELCA does not have to adopt the Episcopal Church's
understanding of the historic episcopate.  "We need to do our homework
and do more reading."
     +Traditions of Lutheran church bodies prior to the formation of
the ELCA are part of the concerns being raised about CCM. "We're
carrying forward with us attitudes and dispositions that were with us
prior to the ELCA," said the Rev. John S. Kendall, retired pastor and a
member at Gloria Dei.
     In closing remarks, the Rev. Jonathan Preus, Calvary Lutheran
Church, Golden Valley, Minn., said he was concerned about what will
happen to seminarians and congregations who cannot accept CCM.  He
suggested some congregations will talk about forming a non-geographic
synod "where the historic episcopate does not exist."
     The Rev. M. Susan Peterson, Gloria Dei, said some comments at the
session suggest there is "a profound distrust of leadership" at the
churchwide level.
     "I need to be attentive to those who found the decision (on CCM)
to be distasteful," Anderson said. "I need to know what the issues are.
Part of the work I'm doing is to hear clearly what those issues are."
     "We took on a big job," he added. "This (CCM) might be a way for
us to learn how to live together."

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