INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- By a vote of 870-105, the churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a resolution requesting the presiding bishop to consult with leaders of the Episcopal Church regarding the full communion agreement of the ELCA and Episcopal Church.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, met here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention center. Nearly 2,500 people participated, including 1,039 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly was "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
The resolution was proposed by the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod and chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops. It referred to the full communion agreement, "Called to Common Mission (CCM)," adopted by the ELCA in 1999 and the Episcopal Church in 2001. During the assembly, voting members adopted a bylaw that would allow, in unusual circumstances, a bishop to delegate to another pastor the authority to ordain. The bylaw was proposed in response to some Lutherans criticisms of CCM.
McCoid's resolution requested the ELCA presiding bishop "engage in continuing consultation" with the presiding bishop and other leaders in the Episcopal Church, "affirming the abiding dedication of this church to live fully into the commitments" that are part of CCM.
The resolution expressed "gratitude to the members of the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee as they foster mutual understanding in the implementation of the relationship of full communion."
"We would look at this as a way we can give the Episcopal Church a message about the bylaw and move forward with implementation," McCoid said during discussion on the resolution.
Karl Cambronne, voting member from the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod, said the proposal was a "left-handed attempt" to undo the assembly's action to adopt the bylaw on ordination in unusual circumstances.
However, during debate several other bishops said they supported the bylaw. -- -- --
Information about assembly actions is http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded updates are available at 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
