DENVER (ELCA) -- The president of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Aug. 20 cited "law and gospel," which Lutherans historically have held to be the two chief doctrines of Scripture, as a blessing shared by the nation's two largest Lutheran church bodies that otherwise have "very serious doctrinal and theological differences."
The Rev. A.L. Barry brought greetings on behalf of the 2.6 million-member Missouri Synod to the 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the 5.2 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting Aug. 16-22 here at the Colorado Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,038 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century."
"By the fantastic grace of God, our two church bodies have been uniquely blessed down through the years both in knowing and holding before our people -- and the eyes of the world -- two very basic truths of Scripture," Barry said. He did not use the phrase "law and gospel," but he described the two teachings in a nutshell:
"The first is that we all daily sin much and, for that reason, deserve nothing but God's wrath and damnation," Barry said. He then recited several Bible passages that express this teaching.
"But through the working of God's Holy Spirit in our lives, both in Holy Baptism and in the Word, we have also come to see and know a second great truth," he continued. "It is the truth of that fantastic forgiveness that is ours through Jesus Christ in His life, death and resurrection." Again he cited supporting passages from the Bible.
ELCA and LCMS leaders generally have acknowledged that their two church bodies have been on "diverging paths" doctrinally for some time, and Barry did not ignore differences. He said that "these differences are not minor or insignificant. It is good that representatives from our two church bodies have found themselves gathering in a series of meetings to discuss these differences in all candor."
Barry's reference is to a series of three two-day meetings scheduled between ELCA and LCMS representatives. The first meeting was held June 14-15 at the ELCA churchwide offices, Chicago. Topics included the ELCA's 1997 decision to declare "full communion" with three Protestant denominations of the Reformed tradition, which the Missouri Synod sees as a violation of biblical teaching.
The next ELCA-LCMS discussion is set for Feb. 14-15 at the Missouri Synod's suburban St. Louis offices.
In spite of their differences, the ELCA and LCMS can "thank God for those two great truths that I have cited above, and how these two great truths have marked the work and ministries of our church bodies down through the years," Barry told the ELCA assembly.
"Then we must proceed in asking that God would bless both of our church bodies as we continue to hold high these truths before the eyes of the world and our own people and that as we move into a new century and even a new millennium," Barry said. "All this so that His kingdom might truly come and His will be done among us."
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.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
