PHILADELPHIA (ELCA) "The more things change, the more they stay the same," the Rev. James Kenneth Echols told to voting members and visitors to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's fifth biennial Churchwide Assembly meeting Aug. 14-20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Echols delivered the third in a series of Bible studies and led the assembly in the song, "Kum Ba Yah, my Lord" or "come by here," setting the tone for his presentation.
Echols drew several parallels between the troubles of the Corinthian church in the first century and conflicts experienced by the ELCA today. Echols' timely presentation came in the midst of discussion of the ELCA's revised sacramental practices document, "The Use of the Means of Grace."
The apostle Paul focused on resolving controversies which threatened the unity of a deeply divided Corinthian church. He sought consensus that would build up the church rather than tear it down. Issues in Paul's day revolved around the role of women in the church, practices for celebrating the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion) and the use of spiritual gifts in church.
Echols contended that Paul's words about the role of women in the Corinthian church are misinterpreted today. Paul believed in women's equality before God in the church, but he also reflected the patriarchial nature of the culture of his day.
Another point of disagreement in the Corinthian church was the manner in which the Lord's Supper was celebrated. The ELCA's sacramental practices document also focused on this issue. The document was adopted following Echols' presentation.
A third area of Corinthian controversy was the use of spiritual gifts in the church, such as speaking in tongues. In the 1960s and 70s this issue was very controversial and caused much division. Echols quoted the famous words of Yogi Berra, "It's dejavu all over again."
Echols said, "God is a God of order and peace, not a God of disunity and controversy. " He stated that there are a variety of gifts in the church, and all are to be positively regarded and appropriately used in "making Christ known." God's reconciling love was and is an undergirding resource for solving controversy.
"Controversies are never far away," Echols concluded. "The good news is that God calls us through our Baptism to be reconcilers and consensus builders."
Echols is the newly-elected president of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, leaving his post at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. He will be installed Nov. 9 at 3:00pm in Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel.
For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
