NEWS STORY: Episcopal Church approves historic agreement with Lutherans

c. 1997 Religion News Service PHILADELPHIA _ The Episcopal Church Friday (July 18) approved its end of an historic intercommunion agreement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that will create pastor exchanges, common parishes and joint ministries. The decision came as the Episcopal Church _ meeting here for its triennial general convention _ […]

c. 1997 Religion News Service

PHILADELPHIA _ The Episcopal Church Friday (July 18) approved its end of an historic intercommunion agreement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that will create pastor exchanges, common parishes and joint ministries.

The decision came as the Episcopal Church _ meeting here for its triennial general convention _ is struggling with sexuality and gender issues and what to do with bishops who will not ordain women to the priesthood.


In his last address as head of the Episcopal Church, outgoing Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning said those issues are dividing the church with “fear, and, let me name it _ hate.”

The Episcopal-Lutheran Concordat, as the agreement is called, will see little effect on congregations that already have developed joint ministries on their own. However, it will lead to great changes in the way Lutheran pastors are ordained and a suspension in the Episcopal insistence that only its priests can celebrate the church’s Eucharist, or Holy Communion.

The exchange of clerics between Episcopalians and Lutherans would begin after Jan. 1, 2001, and joint consecrations of future bishops could begin as early as this fall or next spring.

The measure must still be approved by the ELCA biennial Churchwide Assembly slated for Aug. 14-20, also in Philadelphia.

Following Friday’s decision, the Rev. J. Robert Wright, Episcopal ecumenical and interfaith relations officer, said,”In my opinion, this will be the major ecumenical event for this century.” The Concordat was forged in formal talks between the two churches more than 30 years. A stepping stone was an agreement called Interim Eucharistic Sharing, in which occasional joint liturgies and joint ministries were authorized.

The Concordat _ approved Wednesday by the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops and given final approval Friday by the House of Deputies _ will not mean a merger of the denominations. Each will maintain its own traditions, except that all future bishops in both traditions will be consecrated jointly by prelates from each tradition.

The role of bishops is a sticking point, particularly for Midwestern ELCA members. Those Lutherans, whose roots lie in early 18th-century anti-bishop movements, prefer a church where power lies in each congregation.


Under the Concordat, Lutheran bishops would gain additional powers. ELCA bishops are currently regional administrators elected for six-year terms only. Under the Concordat, they would be consecrated for life, even though they would only serve as administrators for their six-year terms.

In turn, the Episcopal Church, which allows only priests to preside at Eucharist services, will allow Lutheran pastors to also perform the services. Episcopal priests and Lutheran pastors would be able to lead liturgies in each other’s tradition.

Lutheran Bishop Paul Blom of the ELCA’s Texas-Louisiana-Gulf Coast Synod said the Concordat will free each denomination “to be aggressive toward each other in planning where to focus future ministries.”

He explained that would include merged parishes in rural and inner-city areas that can no longer support their own pastors. Also, he added, it will strengthen the current Episcopal-Lutheran ministries already started by local parishes and regional church groupings.

Browning, who steps down as leader of the Episcopal Church after next Tuesday’s expected election of a new presiding bishop, said in his last address that racism and sexism are taking an enormous toll in the church’s unity.

He said that while the church should be speaking with “unity and strength,” we have been diverted by fear, and, let me name it _ hate.”


He wondered aloud if the diversion stemmed “from the evil from which we pray daily for God’s deliverance.” He added, the church’s witness “has been divided, and at times ludicrous, to our society, because we do not agree on what a `wholesome’ relationship means. Some of the most extreme among us have used the disagreement within our body to foment difficulty and advance themselves and their causes. This is not of God. Surely, this is not of God.”

Two sexuality and gender issues are before this convention _ same-sex marriages and bishops who refuse to allow women priests to serve in their dioceses. Each issue is pending before the church’s two houses.

In a related matter, the Episcopal Church Friday indicated its willingness to recognize gays and lesbians in the church by extending spousal health insurance to domestic partners of clergy and church employees as well. The convention left the definition of domestic partners to each diocese.

MJP END BRIGGS

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