Episcopal Commission Assesses Lutheran Ordination Exceptions

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (SCER) of The Episcopal Church, USA, offered its assessment that a bylaw adopted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), allowing exceptions to the way the two churches agreed to ordain new clergy, "need not impair" the new full-communion relationship of the two churches. The SCER met Oct. 23-27 here at the Lutheran Center, which houses the churchwide offices of the ELCA.
The Lutheran-Episcopal agreement, "Called to Common Mission (CCM)," went into effect this year. CCM defines the conditions of "full communion" between the two churches.
"While any provision for exceptions to CCM is a matter of serious concern, the passage of the bylaw addressing ordination in unusual circumstances need not impair or hinder our relationship of full communion with the ELCA," said the commission in a two-page document outlining the context for its evaluation and a summary of its reasoning.
In a relationship of full communion, it is possible for clergy from one church body to serve congregations of the other church body. The Episcopal Church requires ordination of its clergy by bishops in the historic episcopate -- a succession of bishops back to the earliest days of the Christian Church. One condition of CCM is that the Episcopal Church will waive that requirement of Lutherans already ordained on Jan. 1, 2001.
Another condition of CCM is that the ordinations of new ELCA clergy after Jan. 1 would require the participation of a Lutheran bishop. The ELCA is organized into 65 synods, each headed by a bishop.
In August the ELCA Churchwide Assembly approved a bylaw change that will allow pastors, after approval by their synod bishops and in consultation with the presiding bishop, to ordain new ELCA pastors in "unusual circumstances." The bylaw was seen by some as an attempt to meet criticism that the agreement increased the power of Lutheran bishops and threatened Lutheran identity.
"This appears to be a unilateral alteration of the mutual commitment that both our churches have solemnly made to enter into full communion based on CCM," said Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold III of the Episcopal Church, in a written statement, after the vote.
"Obviously, it is too early to tell how frequently the ordination in 'unusual circumstances' will occur, or what the Episcopal Church's likely response will be. Only our General Convention can speak officially on that," said Griswold. The next General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held in 2003 in Minneapolis.
"We continue to be deeply concerned about how the bylaw may be used," said the Episcopal commission. "We have received strong and frequent assurances from the ELCA that the provisions in the bylaw will effectively restrict to the rarest and most serious of circumstances exceptions to a bishop's participation in the laying-on-of-hands at the ordination of a member of the clergy," it said.
"Our own General Convention has stated officially that those ordained in unusual circumstances will not serve congregations in the Episcopal Church," said the SCER.
The SCER couched its assessment in the biblical plea of St. Paul to the early Christian church in Ephesus: "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
"The teaching of Scripture, the Episcopal Church's deep commitment to the unity for which Christ prayed, and the realities and possibilities= =20 of full communion constitute the context in which the ELCA's provisions=20 for ordination in unusual circumstances must be assessed," said the SCER = statement.
"Both churches have always acknowledged that full communion is something that must be lived into," the SCER said. It said the ELCA bylaw could be seen as a Lutheran attempt to foster and preserve unity with the Episcopal Church, while "preserving and increasing unity within the ELCA."
When the ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted the bylaw, it also adopted a resolution asking the ELCA presiding bishop to "engage in continuing consultation with the presiding bishop and other representatives of the Episcopal Church," to affirm the dedication of the ELCA to live fully into CCM.
The SCER noted that action and said "the ELCA has reaffirmed its commitment to the historic episcopate." That commitment was illustrated when the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, was installed Oct. 6 in a ceremony CCM described, said the committee.
The advisory committee of the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs met here Oct. 27 and received a report on the SCER's assessment. The advisors passed a resolution expressing their "thanks and appreciation to the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations of the=20 Episcopal Church for their gracious understanding and thoughtful=20 commentary on their analysis of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's bylaw actions with regard to full communion.
"Further, we appreciate the fellowship, worship and work of joint meeting opportunities experienced over our October meeting dates in Chicago. We look forward to continuing growth in relationship," said the ELCA advisory committee.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html