wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Adds Forum for Nominees for Presiding Bishop

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 9, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY ADDS FORUM FOR NOMINEES FOR PRESIDING BISHOP
01-CWA09-JB

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The churchwide assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) agreed to a proposal from a voting
member to add a question-and-answer forum for the seven remaining
nominees for presiding bishop.  The session will take place in the late
afternoon hours Aug. 9.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center.  There
are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting
members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known:
Sharing Faith in a New Century."
     The proposal for the forum was adopted by a 527-472 vote of the
assembly.  It was made by the Rev. Charles G. Biegner Jr., Buffalo,
N.Y., assembly voting member, ELCA Upstate New York Synod.  He said he
suggested the forum to give voting members a chance to question the
nominees directly. "This will give voting members a chance to consider
the vision and personality of all seven," Biegner said.
     The Rev. Larry V. Smoose, church council member, Media, Pa.,
expressed concern about the proposal. A question-and-answer format may
not be fair to all, since some nominees may not be asked the same
questions as others, he said.   Procedures must be established to assure
fairness, Smoose said, such as pooling questions for all candidates to
answer.
     G. Barry Anderson, assembly voting member, ELCA Southwestern
Minnesota Synod, responded that "no system is perfect," and said the
proposal "comes closer" to giving voting members an opportunity to be
heard.
     The proposal did not change plans for the seven nominees to
address the assembly individually on Aug. 10, nor did it change plans
for a question-and-answer session for the three nominees who remain
after the third ballot is taken.
     In other action Aug. 9, assembly voting members defeated by a vote
of 525-470 a proposal to change a rule to allow distribution of
materials to voting members by written petition of 10 voting members.
The assembly adopted a proposed rule that materials must be approved for
distribution by the ELCA secretary.

     Information about assembly actions is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site.  Recorded
updates during the assembly are available by calling (773) 380-2477.

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