wfn.org | ELCA Council Transmits Possible CCM Bylaw to Assembly

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 10, 2001

ELCA COUNCIL TRANSMITS POSSIBLE CCM BYLAW TO ASSEMBLY
01-081-JB

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -- by a vote of 26-6 and one abstention -- sent to the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly a proposed bylaw that would allow for exceptions to the church's ordination procedures required by "Called to Common Mission" (CCM), a full communion agreement of the ELCA and the Episcopal Church.
        In a separate action the council adopted a policy that explains how the bylaw, if approved by the assembly, would be implemented. The policy was adopted by a vote of 33-1.
        The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between its churchwide assemblies.  The council met here April 6-7.  Assemblies are held every other year; the next is Aug. 8-14 in Indianapolis.
        The proposed bylaw and policy had been reviewed by the ELCA Conference of Bishops and the board of the ELCA Division for Ministry this year, and were left essentially unchanged by the council.  The council made only minor editorial changes during some 90 minutes of discussion to conform the wording to language commonly used in the ELCA constitution.
        The ELCA Conference of Bishops includes the church's 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and ELCA secretary.
        For many ELCA leaders the proposed bylaw and policy represent the best chance the church has to heal some internal divisions that resulted when CCM was adopted by the ELCA in 1999 and by the Episcopal Church in 2000.  CCM creates possibilities for shared ministry in the churches, and in some cases allows for exchange of clergy.
         The carefully worded bylaw and policy are intended to answer CCM opponents who say the full-communion agreement threatens Lutheran identity and gives too much authority to bishops.  Under CCM a bishop must preside at all ordinations.  The bylaw would allow a synod bishop, under certain circumstances, to authorize an ordination to be done by another pastor.  Prior to CCM Lutheran bishops presided at ordinations but could delegate another pastor to preside.
        The bylaw must achieve a two-thirds majority at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly to be adopted.  Many leaders in the ELCA concede that adoption of the bylaw is not certain, and say that CCM opponents and proponents must work together to assure its adoption.
        Some CCM proponents expressed concern that such a bylaw and policy might be interpreted as a sign the ELCA is not prepared to live up to its agreement with the Episcopal Church.  That suggestion was flatly denied by the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Pittsburgh.  McCoid is chair of the Conference of Bishops and an advisor to the council.
        "There is strong support among the [ELCA] bishops for CCM," McCoid told the council.  "We have tried to take seriously our unity in the ELCA.  If you hear any message, it should be that this is not a 'backing away' from CCM.  It's about how we can bring the ELCA together and seek unity within the church catholic."
        The Rev. Karen L. Soli, council member, Sioux Falls, S.D., said she hoped members of the Episcopal Church will be patient with the ELCA.  She noted that "some of us have had to swallow hard" at the practice of a few Episcopal Church bishops who refuse to ordain women.  Lutherans have ordained women for more than 30 years.  "There are no perfect packages in the church," Soli added.

STRONG CONCERNS FROM THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
        Prior to the discussions, the Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, shared with the council a March 20 letter he received from the Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.  In it, Griswold said he had serious concerns about the ELCA's proposed bylaw and what it might mean for the full communion agreement.
        "The proposed bylaw ... seems to imply the certainty of planned exceptions" to CCM ordination procedures, Griswold said.  "This has caused serious concern in many quarters of the Episcopal Church."  The proposed bylaw could be interpreted as "a unilateral alteration of the mutual commitment that both our churches have solemnly made."
        Though he declined to speculate on the eventual outcome, Griswold said no one wants to see full communion become "partial" or "limited" communion.
        "Our church voted for CCM as it stands, we want CCM to work, and we believe that it can," Griswold said.  Anderson said he would respond in writing to Griswold's letter following the council meeting.
        The Rev. Ellen K. Wondra, associate professor of theological studies, Bexley Hall Seminary, Rochester, N.Y., represented the Episcopal Church at the ELCA council meeting.  She is a member of the Episcopal Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations.
        Wondra said Griswold's letter was written following consultation with Episcopal Church bishops and other church leaders.  "There is very serious and significant concern around this bylaw amendment," she said. "The concern is very deep and very widespread."
        After the council acted on the proposed bylaw and policy, Wondra thanked members and advisory bishops for their "thoughtful and careful discussion."

THE PROPOSED BYLAW
        The bylaw, "Ordination in Unusual Circumstances," will allow a synod bishop for pastoral reasons to authorize another pastor to ordain an approved candidate.  Before such an ordination, the synod bishop of the candidate's first call is to consult with the ELCA presiding bishop and seek the advice of the synod council.  "The pastoral decision of the synodical bishop shall be in accordance with policy developed by the Division for Ministry, reviewed by the Conference of Bishops and adopted by the Church Council," according to the proposed bylaw.
        "We believe this is the most appropriate and most helpful action to take at this time," said Dale V. Sandstrom, council member, Bismarck, N.D.  Sandstrom presented the bylaw to the council in his role as chair of the council's Legal and Constitutional Review Committee.  The bylaw may be changed by the churchwide assembly, he added.
        The Rev. Dee H. Pederson, council member, Saint Cloud, Minn., said she received numerous positive responses to the proposed bylaw before the council meeting.  CCM opponents told her the bylaw is a clear signal that their concerns were being heard, she said.  "For many, this would be very helpful," Pederson said.
        The Rev. Sarah J. Stumme, council member, Trevorton, Pa., said she hoped the bylaw may open the door for other issues to be considered, such as allowing the ELCA to ordain gay and lesbian pastors who are in committed relationships.  Presently, the church's clergy standards preclude gay and lesbian pastors from ordained ministry if they engage in homosexual sexual relationships.
        At the ELCA Conference of Bishops meeting last month in San Antonio, many bishops said they expected only limited numbers of requests for unusual ordinations under the proposed bylaw, and virtually none in future years.

THE POLICY
        The council renamed as a "policy" what were previously known as "guidelines" that spell out how the bylaw is to be implemented.  The policy, which was adopted by the council and does not require churchwide assembly action, is contingent on the assembly's adoption of the proposed bylaw as it is written now, Sandstrom said.  If the bylaw is amended and adopted, an amended or rewritten policy must be adopted by the council at its meeting in November, he said.
        The policy specifies principles to be considered in response to a request for unusual ordination, and it specifies the procedure the synod bishop is to use for such a request.  In an earlier proposal, the policy had a "sunset" provision that provided for the bylaw to expire in 2007.  That was removed during the review process.
        The Rev. Fred S. Opalinski, council member, Latrobe, Pa., said he was disappointed the sunset clause was removed, "because it (removing the clause) makes exceptions part of the landscape."  He also said he was concerned that no one in the Episcopal Church see this as a "bait and switch" maneuver on the ELCA's part.
        "This will really help in my synod," said Karl D. Anderson, council member, Neenah, Wis. "It's going to help pastors who want to be part of the ELCA and want to move forward."  Anderson said he was willing to trust the policy will be appropriately managed by ELCA leaders.
        "This issue has been a divisive factor in our church, and I feel this may heal the breach (in the ELCA) and be a step in the right direction," said Beverly A. Peterson, council member, Billings, Mont., in speaking for the policy.
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        Complete copies of the proposed bylaw, "Ordination in Unusual Circumstances," and the policy adopted by the Church Council can be found at http://www.elca.org/os/churchcouncil/actions.html on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html