Lutherans Address Variety of Issues in Early Synod Assemblies

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Twenty-one of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) completed their annual assemblies between April 20 and May 31. Voting members addressed a variety of churchwide issues, including implementation of a full- communion agreement of the ELCA and the Episcopal Church, evangelism and mission, and concerns related to gay and lesbian people. Nine synods elected or re-elected bishops.
The remaining synod assemblies will be completed by June 24. In August, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, consisting of 1,040 voting members from throughout the church, will meet in Indianapolis. The churchwide assembly is the ELCA's highest legislative authority.
According to reports received by the ELCA Department for Synodical Relations by May 31, half of the 21 synods adopted resolutions or memorials related to implementation of "Called to Common Mission" (CCM), the full-communion agreement of the ELCA and Episcopal Church. A memorial is a resolution which calls for specific action by the churchwide assembly.
The ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted CCM in 1999, and the Episcopal Church General Convention adopted it in 2000.
CCM calls on both churches to share in a variety of ministries and, under certain circumstances, allows for a pastor of one denomination to serve in a congregation of the other. One controversial requirement of CCM for Lutherans is that bishops must preside at all Lutheran ordinations. Before CCM was implemented January 1, bishops presided at most ordinations but could delegate that authority to other pastors.
Some Lutherans, critical of CCM, say the agreement gives more power to bishops, imposes the "historic episcopate" on the church and threatens Lutheran identity. The historic episcopate, brought to CCM by the Episcopal Church, is a succession of bishops back to the early days of the Christian church. Some have called for modifications of CCM or have said they will not abide by some of its requirements. Some advocate for overturning CCM.

VARIETY OF CCM-RELATED RESPONSES OFFERED
A proposal that originated in the Minneapolis Area Synod in 2000 was adopted by assemblies of the Pacifica Synod, Western North Dakota Synod and Saint Paul Area Synod. Known as "Call to Freedom," the memorial calls for the churchwide assembly to adopt a series of constitutional amendments to accommodate church leaders who cannot accept some CCM requirements. The New Jersey Synod assembly defeated the Call to Freedom memorial.
The Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod assembly adopted two similar memorials, asking for the churchwide assembly to "honor and celebrate" the work of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, which endorsed a proposal that may allow some candidates to be ordained by pastors other than their bishops. That proposal will be acted on at the churchwide assembly. The synod assembly also asked the churchwide assembly to recognize that receiving the historic episcopate should not be required of Lutheran bishops, pastors, seminarians, lay ministers or members.
Two synod assemblies -- Northeastern Minnesota and Western Iowa -- called for action on the official status of a resolution that interprets CCM. Known as the "Tucson Resolution," the proposal was adopted in 1999 by the ELCA Conference of Bishops when it met in Tucson, Ariz. It offered a series of the bishops' understandings of CCM, and it was provided as information by the ELCA Church Council to the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The Western Iowa Synod assembly adopted the Tucson Resolution as part of its action.
One proposal that has been offered to amend CCM -- a bylaw -- will be acted on at the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. It would allow a synodical bishop, under certain circumstances, to delegate to an ordained pastor the authority to preside at an ordination.
The Southeastern Synod assembly adopted a memorial opposing the proposed bylaw.
The Oregon Synod assembly defeated a proposal to allow for flexibility in ordinations. The Montana Synod assembly considered but did not adopt two resolutions on CCM. Its voting members also soundly defeated a proposal to amend the synod's 2002 budget to drop mission support funds for churchwide ministries. A few congregations have withheld mission support funds as a protest to CCM.

GAY AND LESBIAN ISSUES ADDRESSED
At least four synods took actions related to inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church. The Saint Paul Area Synod assembly asked for changes in the church's policy that prohibits people from entering the ordained ministry if they do not "abstain from homosexual sexual relationships," as stated in the ELCA's standards for ordained ministers. The assembly also called for synod bishops to consider exceptions to the policy until the churchwide assembly can change it.
The synod assembly also adopted a resolution supporting Anita C. Hill, who serves at St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, St. Paul. She was ordained in April. Hill is not in compliance with the church's policy, and therefore her ordination is not recognized by the ELCA. Since the ordination a bishop who participated, the Rev. Paul W. Egertson, Southern California (West) Synod, resigned effective July 31 following conversations with the Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop.
The Rocky Mountain Synod assembly urged its congregations to become "Reconciling in Christ" congregations, which reach out to and affirm the inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church. The New Jersey Synod assembly voted to enter into a year-long process to become a Reconciling in Christ synod, with a final vote expected in 2002.
Without taking a position, the Southeast Michigan Synod assembly asked the churchwide assembly "to call for development of a social statement on homosexuality" to be presented to the 2005 churchwide assembly. It asked for guidance for synods and congregations on blessings of same-sex relationships and whether ordination policies should be changed. It asked for seminary faculties and the ELCA Conference of Bishops to be consulted in creating such a statement.

EVANGELISM AND MISSION CONCERNS RAISED
At least three synod assemblies -- Southeastern Iowa, Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southeastern -- adopted a similar memorial on evangelism. They called on the ELCA Churchwide Assembly to focus the ELCA's commitment to mission and asked the presiding bishop to establish a "blue ribbon" task force to develop a "comprehensive evangelism strategy." Such a strategy could be submitted to the 2003 Churchwide Assembly for action, the memorial said.
The 2001 Churchwide Assembly is set to hear a report on the church's evangelism efforts in the past decade and consider adoption of a new strategy.
The Northeastern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod (NTNL) assembly asked the churchwide assembly to develop a plan to strengthen a focus onK evangelism and discipleship. The Oregon Synod assembly set forth a 12- year initiative to increase mission work in the synod.

MANY OTHER ISSUES ADDRESSED
+ Race relations: The Alaska Synod assembly spoke against racially motivated crimes, encouraging congregations and pastors to support Alaska native peoples and asked for educational materials to be made available to congregations. The NTNL assembly supported an observance known as "Erase the Hate Day," opposing hate crimes, and the Southeastern Synod assembly endorsed the "Birmingham Pledge," which promotes racial equality and healing, and it asked the churchwide assembly to endorse it; the pledge is named for Birmingham, Ala., a place that was the site of racial unrest and a focal point of the civil rights movement in past years.
+ Reducing guns and violence: The Rocky Mountain Synod assembly urged members to remove guns from their homes, or store them in a secure place and enroll in gun safety courses. It asked<