INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) agreed to a proposal from a voting member to add a question-and-answer forum for the seven remaining nominees for presiding bishop. The session will take place in the late afternoon hours Aug. 9.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
The proposal for the forum was adopted by a 527-472 vote of the assembly. It was made by the Rev. Charles G. Biegner Jr., Buffalo, N.Y., assembly voting member, ELCA Upstate New York Synod. He said he suggested the forum to give voting members a chance to question the nominees directly. "This will give voting members a chance to consider the vision and personality of all seven," Biegner said.
The Rev. Larry V. Smoose, church council member, Media, Pa., expressed concern about the proposal. A question-and-answer format may not be fair to all, since some nominees may not be asked the same questions as others, he said. Procedures must be established to assure fairness, Smoose said, such as pooling questions for all candidates to answer.
G. Barry Anderson, assembly voting member, ELCA Southwestern Minnesota Synod, responded that "no system is perfect," and said the proposal "comes closer" to giving voting members an opportunity to be heard.
The proposal did not change plans for the seven nominees to address the assembly individually on Aug. 10, nor did it change plans for a question-and-answer session for the three nominees who remain after the third ballot is taken.
In other action Aug. 9, assembly voting members defeated by a vote of 525-470 a proposal to change a rule to allow distribution of materials to voting members by written petition of 10 voting members. The assembly adopted a proposed rule that materials must be approved for distribution by the ELCA secretary. --
Information about assembly actions is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded updates during the assembly are available by calling (773) 380-2477.
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
