wfn.org | ELCA Presiding Bishop Expresses Appreciation For LCMS Action

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 16, 2004

ELCA Presiding Bishop Expresses Appreciation For LCMS Action
04-135-JB

     ST. LOUIS (ELCA)  The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), said he is "profoundly
grateful" for the decision of the 62nd Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church -- Missouri Synod to continue discussions with the ELCA.
     In a brief address here July 14 to delegates, Hanson referred to the
convention's adoption of Resolution 3-07.  The resolution, adopted
672-479, calls for continued discussion between representatives of the two
church bodies on a variety of scriptural, theological and church topics.
In addition, the LCMS Praesidium -- the Synod's president and five vice
presidents -- recommended ELCA-LCMS cooperative arrangements for military
chaplaincy be continued.
     "We [ELCA] share with you the commitment to a continuing effort to
bear witness to the truth of the Scriptures and the Confessions in the
hope that agreement can be reached in areas where we disagree," Hanson
said.
     The ELCA presiding bishop asked the delegates to continue "in
well-doing," together as church bodies, and he asked that members of both
bodies "not fail" to pray for one another.
     Hanson focused his remarks on areas of common history and ministry.
"As Lutherans we stand on the shoulders of giants.  We stand on the
shoulders of Dr. Martin Luther.  We stand on the shoulders of other
leaders in the Lutheran Reformation of the 16th century," he said.
     Hanson pointed out that Lutherans "stand on the shoulders of
courageous forebears." He noted the arrival of some 700 "Lutheran
pioneers" who settled in Perry County, Mo., and formed a church body that
became the LCMS.  C.F.W. Walther, the first president, "emerged as a
strong, insightful, courageous leader of those Saxon immigrants," Hanson
said.
     "He appropriately takes his place among the giants of Lutheran
history -- giants upon whose shoulders you and I now stand," Hanson said.
     The 5 million member ELCA, like the LCMS, confesses "Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of
all who believe," he said. The two Lutheran churches share common beliefs
in the Scriptures, the creeds, the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and the
other confessional writings of the Book of Concord, Hanson said.
     "We face challenges and opportunities of contemporary witness,"
Hanson said.  "I remain grateful for the strategic ways in which our two
church bodies cooperate in the critically needed service of care and
compassion."  He cited shared ministries such as Lutheran World Relief,
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Lutheran Services in America and
Lutheran Disaster Response.
     Cooperative efforts of the two church bodies in military chaplaincy
are "a special area of cooperation," with many chaplains serving today in
Afghanistan and Iraq, Hanson said.  Lutheran military chaplains represent
"a superb and courageous group of pastors," he added.
     In addition to his role as ELCA presiding bishop, Hanson is president
of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), based in Geneva, Switzerland.  The
LWF is a global communion of 136 Lutheran churches in 73 countries.
     "I am grateful for ongoing conversations that now are taking place
with representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the
International Lutheran Council (ILC)," Hanson said.  Hanson said he knows
the LCMS, an ILC member, has been a leader in ILC activities including the
LWF-ILC conversations.	The ILC has 29 member Lutheran church bodies.
     Hanson also congratulated the Rev. Gerald B. Kieschnick, LCMS
president, on his re-election July 11 to a second three-year term.
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     Information about the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod's 62nd
Regular Convention is at http://www.lcms.org on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news