The Commission noted particularly the action of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in passing a by-law allowing “ordination in unusual circumstances,” whereby a pastor would be delegated by a bishop to preside at the ordination of a pastor to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Prior to this action, the ELCA consulted with the Episcopal Church. In these consultations, the Episcopal Church conveyed its concerns, as summarized by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in his letter to ELCA Presiding Bishop Anderson prior to the Churchwide Assembly and Presiding Bishop Griswold’s statement following the passage of the by-law by the Churchwide Assembly.

The Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations reaffirmed the Episcopal Church’s commitment to unity and offered the following assessment of the significance of the ELCA by-law.

First, we see the by-law in light of St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (4:1-6): “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humilityandgentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

Second, we affirm that the Episcopal Church is deeply and irrevocably committed to the unity of Christ’s Church as of central and fundamental importance to our faithful response to the call of God to us in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.Werecognize that increasing unity often requires us, like all Christians, “in all things of human ordering or human choice” to be willing to “forego preferences of [our] own” (Chicago Quadrilateral, 1886). We affirm that the call to unity is also a call to ever greater openness to God and to each other, with patience and generosity of spirit expressed in word and deed, even–or perhaps particularly– when we find such generosity difficult.

Third,we see the by-law in the context of our developing full communion with the ELCA. We rejoice in the fact that Called to Common Mission is being implemented in both churches through such events as the participation of our Presiding Bishop in the installation of Mark Hanson as Presiding Bishop; the participation of other bishops of the Episcopal Church in the installation of synodical bishops; the participation of bishops of the ELCA in the consecrations of bishops of the Episcopal Church; the many and varied shared ministries and common worship in so many locations across the U.S.; and the continuing expansion and deepening of conversation, consultation and cooperation between ourtwochurches in more and more areas of mission.We look forward to the continued participation of ELCA bishops in the consecrations of bishops in the Episcopal Church, and of Episcopal Church bishops in the installation of bishops in theELCA;to the increase in the scope and number of shared mission and ministry programs;and to the involvement of the ELCA in the life of the Episcopal Church.Abovea ll,we are grateful to God for the many opportunities that are now available to both churches for increasingly faithful life together according to the Gospel as we respond to our call to common mission.

The teaching of Scripture, the Episcopal Church’s deep commitment to the unity for which Christ prayed, and the realities and possibilities of fullcommunion constitute the context in which the ELCA’s provisions for ordination in unusual circumstances must be assessed.

In light of this context, we conclude that, while any provision for exceptions to Called to Common Mission is a matter of serious concern, the passage of the bylaw addressing ordination in unusual circumstances need not impair or hinder our relationship of full communion with the ELCA. We offer this summary of the reasons supporting this conclusion:

1. Both churches have always acknowledged that full communion is something that must be lived into, and we see the bylaw as an expression of the commitment of the ELCA to do so. Such commitment entails the fostering and preserving of communion not only with the Episcopal Church, but also within the Lutheran Church. We are grateful for the ELCA’s care in preserving and increasing unity within the ELCA as well as with the Episcopal Church.
2. The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, so important for our ecumenical relations, addresses the historic episcopate, not ordination of priests and deacons. At the Churchwide Assembly and in the actions noted above, the ELCA has reaffirmed its commitment to the historic episcopate.
3. The actions of the Churchwide Assembly preserve and support the ministry of bishop as particularly concerned with the unity of the church, and as overseer of ordination, akeyelement ofCalled to Common Mission. We see the actions of the Churchwide Assembly as expressing such adaptation, including in the provisions and procedures of the by-law.
4. Called to Common Mission (paragraph 14) indicates that full communion for the Episcopal Church is realized through the shared ministry of bishops in the historic succession, a reality that will come into being over a period of time. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly affirmed the ELCA’s movement into that reality.

   We continue to be deeply concerned about how the by-law may be used. We have received strong and frequent assurances from the ELCA that the provisions in the by-law will effectively restrict to the rarest and most serious of circumstances exceptions to a bishop’s participation in the laying-on-of-hands at the ordination of a member of the clergy (Called to Common Mission paragraph 20). We also note that our own General Conventionhas stated officially that those ordained in unusual circumstances will not serve congregations in the Episcopal Church. Whilewewait to seehowthe bylaw is used in practice, we are guided by St. Paul’s exhortations to forbearance and Christian love, and by our Lord Jesus Christ’s high priestly prayer that we all may be one, that the world may believe.

   The Lutheran response Text of the motion theELCAEcumenical Affairs advisory committee, passed October 27:

   The Department for Ecumenical Affairs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America express our thanks and appreciation to the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations of the Episcopal Church for their gracious understanding and thoughtfulcommentaryontheir analysis of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s by-law actions with regard to full communion. Further,we appreciate the fellowship, worship andworkof joint meeting opportunities experienced over our October meeting dates in Chicago. We look forward to continuing growth in relationship.
   
   
   
   -- Originally published in OPEN Fall 2001
   
   

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