ELCA Council Recommends Interim Agreement With Methodists

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly approve a relationship of Interim Sharing of the Eucharist between the ELCA and the United Methodist Church.
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here April 9-11. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is Aug. 8-14, in Orlando, Fla.
The council's action follows endorsement of the proposal from the ELCA Conference of Bishops, which met in Dallas last month. The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary.
With an interim commitment, congregations and judicatories of both churches will be encouraged to study theological documents, participate jointly in Holy Communion and explore new opportunities for shared ministry. Eventually, the two churches hope to achieve a relationship of full communion, which allows for clergy of one church body to serve in congregations of the other church, and creates opportunities for joint ministry.
The two churches have been involved in theological dialogues for nearly 30 years.
In its action the council expressed "welcome and rejoice in the substantial progress" of the Lutheran-United Methodist Dialogue, recognized the United Methodist Church "as church in which the gospel is preached and taught," affirmed that the "basic teaching of each respective church is consonant with the gospel," and acknowledged that the central teaching of the United Methodist Church is "sufficiently compatible" with the teaching of the ELCA.
The council also encouraged mutual prayer and support by members of ELCA congregations, study of Scripture and the history and theology of both churches, and encouraged joint programs of theological discussion, evangelical outreach and social ministry endeavors.
Judith Anne Bunker, council member, Miami, asked if the ELCA and the United Methodist Church had different understandings of the Eucharist.
The dialogue partners were concerned about that, said the Rev. Randall R. Lee, director, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs.
In 2004 the General Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted "This Holy Mystery," a statement on Holy Communion, he said. After studying that document "the dialogue concluded that there is a very similar understanding of Holy Communion," Lee said.
In response to another question, Lee said the work of the dialogue partners will be beneficial in conversations with the three historic Black Methodist churches.
The proposal for Interim Sharing of the Eucharist has been discussed by the Lutheran-United Methodist Dialogue, theologians of the church and by the Conference of Bishops, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop.
"Interim eucharistic sharing helps us to achieve full communion, but it does not negate that we may have theological differences," he told the council during its discussion. "This interim step is very helpful, and I urge adoption."
The ELCA has full communion relationships with the Episcopal Church, Moravian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.
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Information about the Lutheran-United Methodist Dialogue is at http://www.elca.org/ecumenical/ecumenicaldialogue/unitedmethodist/index.html on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news