wfn.org | Lutherans and United Methodists Resume Dialogue

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 1, 2001

LUTHERANS AND UNITED METHODISTS RESUME DIALOGUE
01-241-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) and United Methodist Church (UMC) met Sept. 6-9
in Denver to begin the third in a series of dialogues between the two
denominations.  This dialogue is to explore the two "churches' teachings
on sanctification and the Lord's Supper" and consider the implications
of a closer relationship of "full communion."
     With 8.5 million members, the UMC is the second-largest Protestant
denomination in the United States.  With 5.13 million members, the ELCA
is the fourth largest.  The two churches or their predecessor church
bodies conducted official dialogues from 1977 to 1979 and from 1985 to
1987.
     The Lutheran co-chair of the dialogue is the Rev. Allan C.
Bjornberg, bishop of the ELCA's Rocky Mountain Synod, Denver.  The
United Methodist co-chair is Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, Nashville, Tenn.
     "Beginning this new round of conversations, we express our hope
for full communion and fellowship between the ELCA and the UMC,"
Bjornberg and Talbert said in a communique after the meeting.  "Previous
dialogues provide a solid foundation, and they encourage us to explore
further possibilities for partnership in mission and ministry," they
said.
     "Our predecessors have affirmed our churches' agreement in the
areas of baptism and episcopacy, even as they have pointed to issues we
must address.  Many challenges remain, but we are encouraged greatly by
the significant work accomplished by churches through bilateral and
multilateral relationships throughout the world," said the communique.
     At the dialogue's September meeting, "we explored the central role
of Scripture in our churches.  We begin our conversations together with
the Bible as the foundation of our discussions.  We affirm the biblical
witness as guiding both churches in their entire life and witness.  Our
churches confess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, expressed
through the historic creeds and confessions and lived out in service and
response to the needs of a broken world.  We find emerging convergence
in our churches' doctrines of grace and baptism," said Bjornberg and
Talbert.
     The communique noted that similar dialogues the ELCA has conducted
have resulted in full communion agreements with the Episcopal Church
U.S.A., Moravian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.  The UMC is in
dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church and the member churches of the
Consultation on Church Union (COCU).  In Europe, United Methodists have
entered into agreements with Lutheran and Reformed churches.
     "In coming months we expect to explore our churches' teachings on
sanctification and the Lord's Supper.  We also will consider
implications of full communion for sharing the Eucharist, exchanging
pastors, and engaging in joint ministry and social witness.  It is our
hope that our deepening fellowship will strengthen both faith
communities for their mission in the world," said Talbert and Bjornberg.
     In addition to Bjornberg, ELCA members participating in the
dialogue are:
Dr. Kathryn L. Johnson, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary,
Louisville, Ky.;
Dr. Cynthia D. Moe-Lobeda, Graduate School of Theology and Ministry,
Seattle University;
Rev. H. Frederick Reisz Jr., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary,
Columbia, S.C.; and
Rev. Timothy J. Wengert, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Philadelphia.
     In addition to Talbert, United Methodist participants are:
Judith Crain, Green Bay, Wis.;
Rev. Amy Laura Hall, Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C.;
Dr. Jean Miller-Schmidt, Iliff School of Theology, Denver; and
Rev. Lars-Erik Nordby, Frederikstad, Norway.
     The Rev. Betty Gamble, associate general secretary, UMC General
Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, New York, and
the Rev. Paul A. Schreck, associate for bilateral dialogues, ELCA
Department for Ecumenical Affairs, Chicago, are staff of the Lutheran-
United Methodist dialogue.
     The next meeting of the dialogue will be Feb. 14-17, 2002.
Participants plan to meet twice each year.
     The ELCA has 10,816 congregations organized in 65 synods, each
headed by a bishop, across the United States and Caribbean.
     The UMC has 36,361 congregations in 50 episcopal areas across the
United States and Puerto Rico.  It includes another 1.4 million
Methodists in about 5,150 congregations in 18 episcopal areas in Europe,
Africa and the Philippines.

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