1. Session Ten: The ELCA: Part Three (1988 ~ Current)
IN AMERICA
LUTHERANISM
Session Ten:
The ELCA: Part Three
(1988 ~ Current)

2. Last Week in Review Last week, we talked about…
The Presiding Bishops of the ELCA
Rosters of the ELCA
Pastors
Associates in Ministry
Deaconesses
Diaconal Ministers
Began to discuss implications of this Order of Ministry for ecumenical relationships

3. Lutheranism in America
Comments, Questions or Smart Remarks?

4. Membership in the LWF, NCC and WCC
ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
Membership in the
LWF, NCC and WCC

5. The LWF
The Lutheran World Federation was organized in 1947 to confess, reflect, reconcile, and to respond together to human suffering in the aftermath of the Second World War
Communion Offices located in Geneva, Switzerland

6. The LWF The LWF has 144 member churches from 79 countries
Three areas of work
Theology & Dialogue
Partnerships within the Communion
Holistic Mission & Relationships
Education and evangelism
Diakonia
Advocacy & Service

7. The LWF LWF President is Bishop Dr. Munib Younan
Current Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
LWF General Secretary is Rev. Martin Junge
Former President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile

8. The LWF
Currently, the ELCA is the only Lutheran denomination in the United States with membership in the LWF
LC-MS is a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC)
Comprised of 34 member churches
“The ILC is a worldwide association of established confessional Lutheran church bodies which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to the Holy Scriptures as the inspired and infallible Word of God and to the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord as the true and faithful exposition of the Word of God.”

9. The WCC
The World Council of Churches was organized in 1948 following a worldwide surge in interest in ecumenism (following WWII)
AMERICAN LUTHERANS were instrumental in getting this organization started
Offices located in Geneva, Switzerland
The LWF is located on their campus

10. The WCC
The WCC has over 345 member churches, representing more than 500 million Christians from over 110 countries
Three areas of work
Unity, Mission and Ecumenical Relations (Dialogue)
Public Witness and Diakonia (Advocacy)
Ecumenical Formation (Education)

11. The WCC General Secretary of the WCC is Rev. Dr. Olav Tveit
From the Church of Norway (YES! A LUTHERAN!)
Moderator of the Central Committee is Dr. Agnes Abuom
From the Anglican Church of Kenya (first woman and first African to hold position)

12. The NCC The NCC was organized in 1950
It’s offices are located in Washington, D.C.
Comprised of 37 “member communions”
Most states have a local “Council of Churches” which mirrors this organization

13. The NCC General Secretary and President of the NCC is Jim Winkler
From the United Methodist Church (NOT a Pastor)

14. The NCC
One project and ongoing commitment of the NCC is biblical and theological scholarship
Was responsible for the RSV (1952) and NRSV (1989) translations of the Bible

15. The NCC They organize their work in similar ways to the WCC:
Joint Advocacy
Ecumenical Relationships
Leadership and Faith Formation

16. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
When the ELCA was formed, participation in these organizations was tricky because the ALC, LCA and AELC all participated (or not) in different ways
LCA = LWF, WCC & NCC
ALC = LWF & WCC only
AELC = None

17. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
Why do you suppose it would have been an issue for some Lutheran churches to participate in these groups?

18. Full Communion Partners
ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
Full Communion Partners

19. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS The ELCA began because of a commitment to unity
It has continued this interest and commitment in its pursuit of developing strong relationships with other denominations

20. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
The ELCA cites Scriptural and Confessional standards for its work towards full communion
Augsburg Confession, Article VII: “For the true unity of the church it is enough to agree concerning the teaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.”

21. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
The goal of ecumenical relationships in the ELCA is NOT to merge into one, big, happy church; rather, it is to foster a visible unity throughout the Body of Christ, a unity that highlights the church’s breadth and depth.
“Full Communion” is the goal of these dialogues.
It is rooted in agreement on essentials and allows diversity in nonessentials.
Sound familiar???

22. ECUMENICAL RELATIONS Stages of Relationships Ecumenical Cooperation
Participate together in ecumenical and ecclesiastical groups
Bilateral Dialogues
Begin intentional discussions toward mutual ministry
Preliminary Recognition
Eucharistic sharing and recognition without exchangeability of ministers
Full Communion
Full recognition and shared life and ministry

23. FULL COMMUNION PARTNERS
ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
BILATERAL DIALOGUE
FULL COMMUNION PARTNERS
African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ)
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Mennonite Church USA
The Orthodox Church
Roman Catholic Church
1997, Presbyterian Church (USA)
1997, Reformed Church in America
1997, United Church of Christ
1999, The Episcopal Church
1999, The Moravian Church
2009, United Methodist Church

24. Reformed Church in Amerca
ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
ELCA
PC-USA
Reformed Church in Amerca
UCC
Episcopal Church
Moravian Church
UMC
NOTE:
Full Communion partners with the ELCA do not necessarily have Full Communion Relationships with each other.

25. The Lutherans Divide…Again
ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
The Lutherans Divide…Again

26. Lutherans Divide…Again
When the ELCA was formed in 1988, it seemed to most that this was as far as unification would go for Lutherans in the United States for the foreseeable future
Relationships with other Lutheran denominations were stale, but stable

27. Lutherans Divide…Again
A major blow to the ELCA came with the discussion of the Full Communion relationship with The Episcopal Church in 1999 (“Call to Common Mission”)
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) grew out of this conflict

28. Lutherans Divide…Again
A second major blow came at the 2003 Churchwide Assembly with the commissioning of a study on Human Sexuality to be released in 2009
Lutheran CORE grew out of this conflict

29. Lutherans Divide…Again
The third major blow to the ELCA came in 2009 with the adoption of the Social Statement, Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust
Passed with EXACTLY 2/3 vote
People upset because it went too far OR not far enough
The North American Lutheran Church (NALC) grew out of this conflict

30. Lutherans Divide…Again
In 2012, The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod leadership communicated its intention to discontinue meetings and participation with ELCA churchwide staff, including areas of support and training of military and federal chaplaincy, response to HIV and AIDS, and national coordination of recovery after a disaster. The longtime combined efforts of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the ELCA continue at the congregational and regional levels in some areas. The ELCA remains open to national dialogue and cooperation in the future.

31. Lutheranism in America
There are still LOTS of things that I haven’t covered in this course on Lutheranism in America. Among them:
ELCA and Global Mission
The Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) Hymnal
Rocky Mountain Synod Information
What else do YOU want to hear more about?

32. Lutheranism in America
Finally, I want to hear a bit from you all…
What did you get out of this course?
What surprised you?
What comments, questions or smart remarks do you still have?