Lutherans Organize, Elect Leader to Resist CCM

ST. PAUL, Minn. (ELCA) -- Lutherans dissatisfied with a proposal to enter into full communion with the Episcopal Church met here Nov. 15-16 and agreed to form their own organization. The 408 delegates and participants to the "Word Alone National Gathering I" also elected the Rev. Roger C. Eigenfeld, 59, St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, Minn., to lead them.
The meeting, held at Roseville Lutheran Church, is the culmination of a series of 45 regional gatherings held this fall in different parts of the country. Those meetings brought together some 2,200 people to discuss concerns they have in the wake of a decision made at the 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The 5.2 million-member ELCA has nearly 11,000 congregations in the United States and Caribbean. The churchwide assembly is the church's highest legislative authority
On Aug. 19, by a vote of 716-317, 27 votes more than the required two-thirds, the churchwide assembly approved the full communion proposal, "Called to Common Mission," (CCM) with the Episcopal Church. The proposal opens the door for a variety of cooperative ministries and allows for exchange of clergy in congregations under certain circumstances.
Those opposed to the proposal generally cite the ELCA's adoption of the historic episcopate, brought to the relationship by the Episcopal Church, as the reason for their opposition.
They argue the historic episcopate elevates the roles of bishops in the ELCA, and creates a new hierarchy in the church. Bishops must preside at all future ELCA ordinations under the proposal. Presently bishops have authority to ordain but may delegate the task to another ordained pastor. Opponents also say CCM contradicts Martin Luther's "priesthood of all believers."
Supporters of the proposal say it enhances the church's mission in seeking full communion with other denominations. CCM is also the result of a 1991 ELCA churchwide assembly mandate, which directed the church to seek ecumenical relationships and "pursue the goal of full communion." The ELCA already is in full communion with four other churches as a result of the 1991 assembly action.
CCM awaits action by the next general convention of the Episcopal Church, which meets in Denver in July 2000.
The Rev. Meg H. Madson, Plymouth, Minn., opened the "Word Alone" conference, focusing her remarks on the importance of a church's official teachings. "Every church has a genetic code, a kind of DNA that determines its official teaching," she said.
"But every time a denomination's DNA requires more than the Word alone, the Gospel is corrupted; salvation is uncertain," Madson said. "Now that the ELCA has adopted Episcopal DNA, the certainty and freedom of the Gospel has been undermined."
More than half of the participants at the Nov. 15-16 gathering were from Minnesota; 21 states were represented.
"We are not here because we are malcontents," Eigenfeld told the gathering. "We love our Lord Jesus Christ. We love our church."
Among those present were 108 voting delegates, sent to Roseville from the 45 regional gatherings. They voted to form an organization and elected Eigenfeld overwhelmingly over three other nominees. They also authorized him to appoint a steering committee, likely to be 7 to 10 people, who will work with Eigenfeld to guide the movement through the next few months.
Eigenfeld later announced he appointed Albert H. Quie, Minnetonka, Minn., as vice chair. Quie is a former governor of Minnesota.
A national conference is expected to be held in March at a site or sites to be determined, where formal decisions about the organization's makeup are likely to be made, Eigenfeld said. Between now and then, more regional gatherings are expected to be held to continue the discussions about CCM and the role of the unnamed organization, he said.
Key speakers proposed ideas at the Word Alone National Gathering. For example, the Rev. Bradley C. Jenson, Kenwood Lutheran Church, Duluth, Minn., called for the formation of a new Lutheran church "which is solidly confessional." He also called for a new seminary that will prepare candidates for "non-episcopal ordinations."
The Rev. Kent S. "Tony" Stoutenburg, Naselle Evangelical Lutheran Church, Naselle, Wash., proposed establishment of a "confessional network" of congregations centered on Lutheran principles. Such congregations could "redirect benevolence" if their synods do not accept constitutional changes submitted by network congregations, he suggested.
In an interview after his election, Eigenfeld emphasized there are no plans now to form another denomination.
"I wouldn't even want to talk about another denomination, because I think that's incredibly premature and totally unnecessary at this point," he said. He said he has no plans personally to leave the church because he has much invested in it.
Eigenfeld said ELCA members who are strongly opposed to CCM will continue to resist the proposal. "We feel the church has kind of walked away from us," he said. The ELCA is not listening to and has never taken seriously those who oppose CCM, Eigenfeld added.
Eigenfeld said he has hopes for a meeting of opposition steering committee members and key ELCA leaders to seek "a mutual remedy," most likely a willingness by leadership to consider re-evaluating the vote on CCM.
During the churchwide assembly, the ELCA Church Council and the ELCA Conference of Bishops, through their leaders, issued a statement calling for respect for those opposed to CCM, and to listen with care and concern.
On Sunday, Nov. 14, the day before the Roseville meeting, the council spoke again to the church, pledging "to listen and to support efforts to bring understanding and reconciliation within this church." The council also acknowledged the concerns expressed about CCM in the wake of the vote.
At the same council meeting, the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, said he is pleased that while some continue to oppose CCM, most of them seem to want to deal with their disappointment within the church.
Some other ideas suggested during the Roseville gathering included:
+ a call for a "parallel" organization within the ELCA that would resist the historic episcopate. Many people at the gathering seemed to want to remain in the ELCA and work through such an organization to seek changes they favor. A few said they're ready to leave the ELCA.
+ election of bishops who will refuse to comply with the = historic episcopate;
+ election of delegates to the churchwide assembly that are held accountable to the synod from which they are elected. Presently, synods elect voting members who represent the whole church at churchwide assemblies.
+ publication of newsletters, news stories and educational materials that support the opposition cause;
+ support for pastors who say they are fearful their opposition to CCM will result in recriminations and damage to their careers;
+ support for seminarians who may refuse to recognize the historic episcopate;
+ withholding or redirecting benevolence.
Some participants challenged speakers and participants with a few concerns of their own.=20
Chris Enstad, a student at the ELCA's Luther Seminary, St. Paul, = Minn., urged the group to be "careful" when they talk about redirecting benevolence funds. He reminded the audience some benevolence dollars go to seminaries and redirecting such funds "will hurt the seminarians."
Sharon Josephson, Detroit Lakes, Minn., said lay people should be represented in the leadership of the CCM opposition, and she led a separate caucus of lay people at the gathering. "I would caution that we not get too far ahead of the people in the pew," she said.
Responding to concerns from some participa