Lutheran Seminary Faculty Endorses Full Communion

LUTHERAN SEMINARY FACULTY ENDORSES FULL
COMMUNION

About 20 theologians on the faculty of the Lutheran Theological
Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) unanimously adopted a
statement endorsing a proposal for full communion between the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the
Episcopal Church, and a similar proposal for full communion
between the ELCA and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ. The
ELCA will vote on the proposals at its churchwide assembly in
Philadelphia this August.  LTSP is one of eight seminaries of the
ELCA.  "We give our unqualified support to God's working of unity
in the churches," said the Jan. 18 statement.  "Christian unity is
God's gift to us, not our work for God."  The faculty said it was
pleased that both proposals came before the church at the
same time because it offered an opportunity for the Lutheran
church "both to maintain the integrity of its own ministry and
confession and to provide a bridge among closely related
communions, thereby encouraging their own greater unity in the
Gospel."  The statement praised the Lutheran-Reformed
agreement for clearly describing beliefs about the Lord's Supper.
 It also questioned "the extent to which this document can have
binding and full effect in the United Church of Christ, given its
present polity" that such agreements are not binding on local
congregations.  The faculty statement expressed regret that the
Concordat with the Episcopalians deals "almost exclusively with
matters of the episcopate (office of bishop) rather than the
practical work of true Christian concord."  It concluded that "these
agreements are important only when they help our churches
vigorously advance the mission of the Gospel in our broken
world."

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html