wfn.org | Lutherans trying to accommodate opponents of full communion

[Daphne Mack <dmack@dfms.org>]

For more information contact:
Kathryn McCormick
kmccormick@dfms.org
212/922-5383
http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens

2000-053

Lutherans trying to accommodate opponents of full communion with 
Episcopalians

by James Solheim

     (ENS) Worried that continuing opposition in the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to full communion with the 
Episcopal Church may lead to a split, a small group met in 
Milwaukee in mid-February and shaped proposals they think would 
keep the church together--but the church's bishops issued a 
pastoral letter strongly endorsing the commitment to full 
communion. 

     "We believe voting members of the 1999 Churchwide Assembly 
did not anticipate the depth and extent of opposition that 
appears to exist," said a Common Ground Resolution passed by 17 
of the 18 participants in the closed Milwaukee meeting. The 
resolution suggests several alternatives, effectively allowing 
ELCA clergy who are not ordained by a bishop in historic 
succession as required by CCM, to have equal standing with other 
clergy. And it also raises the possibility of starting a new 
synod, the Lutheran version of a diocese, that "may be out of 
conformity with certain provisions of the full communion 
agreements."

     The ELCA Churchwide Assembly last summer approved Called to 
Common Mission (CCM), a new version of an earlier Concordat of 
Agreement that outlined a relationship of full communion between 
the two churches. The Episcopal Church passed the Concordat at 
its General Convention in 1997. The Lutherans narrowly defeated 
the proposal at their own 1997 meeting, but set up a committee to 
produce a revised draft. 

     Despite passing CCM by the required two-thirds majority, 
opposition has continued, centered on a provision that Lutherans 
adopt the historic episcopate. 

     The Rev. Joseph Wagner, executive director of the ELCA 
Division for Ministry, voted against the Milwaukee resolution, 
saying that it undercuts the action of the Churchwide Assembly 
and goes too far in trying to accommodate a vocal minority of 
opponents. ELCA Secretary, the Rev. Lowell Almen, warned that 
implementing the resolution's proposals "would require 
substantial constitutional changes." He added that the proposal 
"appears not to reflect an understanding of either the present 
polity of the ELCA or of our predecessor church bodies."

Honoring opponents

     Bishop Mark Hanson of St. Paul, an advocate of CCM, said 
that those who are in favor of full communion "will say we tipped 
too close to those opposed" but others will see that opponents 
have been heard. But he said that it would be "very difficult" to 
satisfy those opposed to the historic episcopate and not 
undermine the whole CCM.

     "I hope the outcome of the Milwaukee conversations might 
help ELCA leaders find a way both to honor our church's adoption 
of CCM and to enable those opposed to remain in the fold," said 
the Rev. Michael Cooper-White, director of the ELCA's department 
for synodical relations and assistant to Presiding Bishop H. 
George Anderson. Because the meeting was unofficial, Cooper-White 
thought it was not appropriate to call the suggestions a 
resolution.

     The Rev. Brad Jenson of Duluth, a strong opponent of CCM, 
said that the meeting "actually exceeded my expectations" and 
that he was pleased with the suggestions in the resolution. He 
said that he was one of those who would leave the ELCA if the 
historic episcopate were required of all future clergy.

     Bishop Rick Foss of North Dakota, also strongly opposed to 
CCM, said at a recent meeting of opponents, "Something's got to 
change or our church will be in a mess." He raised the 
possibility of "non-compliance," although he wasn't sure how it 
would work in his synod.

     In a note to his colleagues in New England, the Rev. Richard 
Koenig of Massachusetts said that the attempt at a "compromise" 
ends up confronting the ELCA with "a crisis of major 
proportions." He warned, "We could either see agreement with the 
Episcopalians undercut and nullified or undergo some sort of 
schism."

     Bishop Chris Epting of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, a 
member of the team that drafted CCM, attended the Milwaukee 
meeting briefly to listen to the concerns, realizing that some of 
the proposals being considered could be problematic for 
Episcopalians.

Dismantling of ELCA?

     Prof. Michael Root of Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Ohio, a 
Lutheran member of the team that produced CCM, said in an open 
letter distributed widely in the church that the proposals are 
"inherently misleading and would both undermine the constitution 
of the ELCA and destroy our ecumenical relations with the 
Episcopal Church." He said that "it is of utmost importance that 
they be rejected immediately."

     What well-organized opposition was not able to achieve in 
derailing CCM "they are now seeking to achieve by clandestine 
maneuvers," Root charged. The resolution opens the possibility 
that "every ordinand and bishop-elect could specify whether or 
not they will be ordained or installed by the rites approved by 
this church as a part of our ecumenical commitments." And giving 
ordinands the choice whether the bishop presides at ordination 
would abandon the essential notion that it is the church's 
ordination, he said.

     Non-geographical synods would result in calls for other such 
synods, ones that would take differing stands on the ordination 
of gays and lesbians, or the ordination of women. "Once we start 
down that road where do we stop? Are we a church or a federation 
of theologically defined interest groups?" he asked. If opponents 
cannot live with CCM and the decision of the church the time may 
come for an "amicable parting of the ways." The letter concluded, 
"What should not be permitted is the implicit dismantling of the 
ELCA."

Bishops call for more dialogue

     The ELCA's Conference of Bishops, at a meeting in Florida 
shortly after the Milwaukee meeting, hammered out a pastoral 
letter acknowledging the continuing opposition to CCM but calling 
the decision to move forward with full communion "a promising 
step that strengthens the mission of Christ's church."

     "I hope it is received as a strong commitment to the CCM and 
it says to [opponents] that we are inviting continued 
conversation within the church and with the Episcopal Church, 
said Bishop Mark Hanson of St. Paul.

     "We recognize that persons of integrity and conscience find 
themselves in disagreement with one another on various issues, 
notably over policies and practices related to ordination," the 
letter said. "We trust that God's reconciling power will continue 
to guide the conversations among supporters and opponents in this 
matter."

     "As we gradually live into a relationship of full communion, 
we invite the exploration of possible ways to allow a synodical 
bishop, in unusual circumstances and with appropriate 
consultation, to authorize another ELCA pastor to preside at an 
ordination. We ask the ELCA Church Council, in consultation with 
the presiding bishop of this church, to pursue this exploration 
as part of our continued broad consultation in this church and 
with the Episcopal Church."

--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal Church's Office of 
News and Information.