Following the narrow defeat of the Concordat of Agreement in the recent ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the Assembly then adopted two resolutions aimed at restarting the move toward full communion with the Episcopal Church. The first declares the intention of the ELCA to preserve conversation and eucharistic sharing with the Episcopal Church, and to bring a […]
Heritage and Hope?
“Making Christ Known: Alive in Our Heritage and Hope,” was the theme for the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America which met in Philadelphia, August 14-20, 1997. Ecumenical issues dominated the proceedings, with the focus on three major decisions: (1) the Formula of Agreement with the three churches of the Reformed tradition; […]
The Use of the Means of Grace: An Anglican Perspective
The Use of the Means of Grace, adopted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this past summer, is a document that probably could not have been written by Episcopalians, though not because we would disagree in large measure with anything in the paper. Almost all the particular ritual notes are familiar and unremarkable from […]
Report on Lutheran-Episcopal Relations: Ecumenical Symposium at Loyola University
You invited Bill Roberts and myself, as the ecumenical officers of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Metropolitan Chicago Synod respectively, to give a report on Lutheran-Episcopal Relationships. The invitation to address this symposium was extended before the votes were taken at our respective church assemblies this past summer. […]
Argument for a Lutheran Anamnesis of the Historical Episcopate
One of the issue editors of Let’s Talk invited me to respond to the failure of the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to approve the Concordat of Agreement by answering two questions: Is it desirable for The Episcopal Church to have full communion with The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America? If […]
Full Communion: ELCA and Others – A Sermon
This week I felt compelled to set aside all of the assigned texts before me–those for the “Festival of St. Bartholomew, Apostle” as well as for this “The 16th Sunday after Pentecost”, and reflect seriously upon events of last Sunday. Christians of all denominations convene assemblies–annually, bi-annually or tri-annually. They do so with varying degrees […]