by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service
A 17-member delegation from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) met March 17 with His All Holiness Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholow, the world leader of Orthodox Christians, and
held an informal discussion with senior staff of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey. The delegation is visiting
with world church leaders March 13-28 in Geneva, Istanbul, London
and Rome.
This is the 25th year of international dialogue between the
Lutheran World Federation and the Orthodox. The ELCA is a member
of the LWF. The new Lutheran co-chair of the international
dialogue is the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, bishop of the ELCA
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Pittsburgh. The ELCA is proud
that McCoid is co-chair, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA
secretary, Chicago. Almen said McCoid is a "distinguished
representative of the ELCA" and committed to "fruitful dialogue."
Almen is a member of the ELCA delegation.
The Rev. Randall R. Lee, executive, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-
Religious Relations, Chicago, said a similar United States
Lutheran-Orthodox dialogue is expected to conclude this summer
with the publication of a guidebook detailing how Lutherans and
Orthodox may pray together and discuss issues of common concern.
Lee is also a member of the ELCA delegation.
Links:
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
http://www.ec-patr.gr/athp/index.php?lang=en
Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul
http://www.ec-part.gr/
International dialogue
http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/OEA/Bilateral_Relations/O
EA-Lutheran-Orthodox.html
McCoid
http://www.southwesternpasynod.org/nuke/modules.php?name=Call_Pro
cess
Almen
http://www.ELCA.org/secretary/almen.html
ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations
http://www.ELCA.org/ecumenical/
similar U.S. dialogue
http://www.ELCA.org/ecumencial/ecumenicaldialogue/orthodox/index.
html
- - -
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
