ELCA Assembly Affirms 'Book of Faith' Bible-Study Initiative

CHICAGO (ELCA) - The 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) today adopted "Book
of Faith: Lutherans Read the Bible," a sweeping five-year
initiative to boost study of the Bible throughout the 4.8-million
member church body.
That initiative grew out of a 2005 proposal made by the ELCA
North Carolina Synod to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The ELCA
Vocation and Education staff developed the recommendation for
action here.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6 to 11at Navy Pier's Festival
Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,071 ELCA
voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in
God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
The recommendation, consisting of nine points, was approved
Aug. 7. It stressed the importance of Scripture for believers
"throughout the ages" (one of those points), and thanked the
North Carolina Synod for proposing the initiative. It was adopted
by a vote of 1,000 to 19.
The companion recommendation - expanded from eight to nine
points after lengthy discussion - gives specific suggestions for
ways to "invite and encourage all members, expressions,
institutions, and partners of this church to commit themselves
regularly and increasingly to hearing, reading, studying,
sharing, and being formed by God's Word," the proposal said. It
calls for use of existing resources and developing new material
for use in studying the Bible.
Three other amendments to that second recommendation
ultimately were defeated. The final vote to adopt was 956 to 93.
As the initiative came to the assembly floor, the Rev. Mark
S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said it "invites this whole
church to become fluent in the first language of faith - the
language of Scripture; and to be renewed for lives of witness and
service as the Holy Spirit engages us."
The Rev. Stanley N. Olson, executive director of the
Vocation and Education unit, said that "Book of Faith" is
"designed to remind us of the power of God's Word. Join the
conversation that God initiates," Olson urged.
Olson introduced Dr. Diane Jacobson, a professor of Hebrew
and Old Testament at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., and newly
named director of the "Book of Faith" initiative. Jacobson will
devote half of her time to the initiative.
Jacobson told the assembly, "The vision of the ...
initiative is this: that the whole church become more fluent in
the first language of faith - the language of Scripture - in
order that we may live into our calling as a people renewed,
enlivened, and empowered by the Word. ... The fulfillment of this
vision depends on all of us."
At a news conference after both recommendations were
approved, Olson likened the "Book of Faith: Lutherans Read the
Bible" proposal to the Lutheran Reformation - "not a rehash of
various Bible-study programs the church has used over the years,
but a "renewal growing out of the Word."
Olson said that like the Reformation, the initiative will be
"foundational," and directed to all ages and all aspects of
Christian life.
Jacobson said that a main point of the initiative is to
"study Scripture as the primary source about itself," with "more
people reading the Bible more often, at all levels of this
church."
Beth A. Lewis, president and CEO of Augsburg Fortress, the
ELCA publishing ministry, told those at the news conference that
Augsburg "has some resources in the works" that can be used in
the "Book of Faith" initiatives, with "many more planned," for
both print and electronic media.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be
found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.

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