Episcopal Press and News
Lutheran Pastoral Letter Formally Transmitted to Episcopal Church
Episcopal News Service. March 17, 2000 [2000-064]
(ELCA) The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has formally transmitted to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church the text of a pastoral letter from the ELCA Conference of Bishops. The bishops' letter, adopted March 6 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, addressed the implementation of "Called to Common Mission" (CCM), a Lutheran proposal for full communion with the Episcopal Church.
The ELCA bishops' letter, addressed to the ELCA's 5.2 million members, was intended to address concerns about the proposal. Some Lutherans oppose CCM because it requires the ELCA to adopt the historic episcopate, a succession of bishops as a sign of unity back to the early Christian Church. The bishops' pastoral letter suggests the possibility of discussions for exceptions to a CCM proposal that a bishop preside at all Lutheran ordinations.
CCM was adopted 716-317 by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August, 1999. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church will consider CCM when it meets in Denver this July.
In conveying the text of the pastoral letter to the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold III, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Anderson wrote:
"Grace and peace to you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ as we begin the Lenten pilgrimage of baptismal renewal and grace.
"Enclosed with this letter is a copy of a pastoral letter approved by the members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on the subject of implementation of 'Called to Common Mission.' This pastoral letter, while addressed to the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will certainly find its way, in whole or in part, into circles of the Episcopal Church as well. I therefore want to share my understanding of it with you.
"This pastoral letter is prompted in large measure by continuing concerns among some ELCA members about how 'Called to Common Mission' will be implemented in our church body. The bishops distinguish between adoption of the proposal and a subsequent process for discussing one matter of implementation. Specifically, the letter mentions the ordination of candidates to the ministry of Word and Sacrament and the requirement that all such persons will, after adoption of 'Called to Common Mission,' be required to be ordained by a bishop in concert with other pastors. The pastoral letter urges that conversations be conducted to discern whether it is possible to allow for exceptions to this practice in unusual circumstances.
"As the members of the Conference of Bishops deliberated this action they wished to make clear that there is:
- "(1) complete support for establishing a relationship of full communion between our two churches;
- "(2) no intention to undermine the decision of the 1999 Churchwide Assembly to approve 'Called to Common Mission,' or the bylaw amendments to the governing documents of this church which were adopted in order to implement the provisions of 'Called to Common Mission;'
- "(3) an expectation that 'broad consultation' with representatives of the Episcopal Church will characterize each stage in the implementation of 'Called to Common Mission' and that no unilateral action will be taken by this church that will undermine the agreement for establishing the relationship of full communion; and
- "(4) a pledge of prayers for the delegates to the 2000 General Convention of the Episcopal Church as they deliberate 'Called to Common Mission.'
"I commend to you the prayer for the Holy Spirit which concludes this pastoral letter. May it be for you a sign of our commitment to the unity of Christ's Church especially as together we seek to witness to that unity through this relationship of full communion between our two churches. As always, please be assured of my continued prayers for your episcopal ministry to the people of God."