Lutherans vote to bridge gap with Catholics, protect migrant children

[Alex_H]

The 2016 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly gathering in New Orleans this week overwhelmingly accepted a unique ecumenical document that establishes a path toward greater unity between Catholics and Lutherans. By a vote of 931 to 9, the assembly on Wednesday (Aug. 10) approved the “Declaration on the Way.”

The document encompasses 32 “statements of agreement” that outline where Lutherans and Catholics concur on topics about church, ministry, and the Eucharist. To a lesser degree, the document also explores differences that remain between the two religions, according to an ELCA news release. The assembly stood to applaud after the vote.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton said the “Declaration on the Way” not only helps Lutherans to more fully realize their unity in Christ with Catholics but also shows a commitment to bond with all Christians.

“Dear sisters and brothers, let us pause to honor this historic moment,” Eaton said, addressing the assembly following the vote. “Though we have not yet arrived, we have claimed that we are, in fact, on the way to unity. After 500 years of division and 50 years of dialogue, this action must be understood in the context of other significant agreements we have reached, most notably the ‘Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification’ in 1999.”

In another major consideration, the assembly voted 921 to 11 in favor of AMMPARO – the ELCA’s strategy to Accompany Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities.

The ELCA developed the strategy for to obtain the following goals:

to uphold the basic human rights and safety of migrant children and their families;

to address the root causes of migration in countries from Central America's Northern Triangle and Mexico and the treatment of migrants in transit;

to work toward just and humane policies affecting migrants in and outside the U.S.;

to engage as a church with all of its companions, affiliates and partners to respond to the migration situation and its causes; and

to advocate for migrant children and their families.

The assembly also voted 895 to 23 to accept the 2017-2019 budget proposal approved and recommended by the ELCA Church Council. The budget proposal includes:

a 2017 current fund spending authorization of $65.3 million and a 2017 ELCA world hunger spending authorization of $24.8 million;

a 2018 current fund income proposal of $64,057,220, and a 2018 ELCA world hunger income proposal of $25 million; and

a 2019 current fund income proposal of $64,151,175, and a 2019 ELCA world hunger income proposal of $25 million.

The assembly – the highest legislative authority of the ELCA – is meeting at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The assembly’s business will include preparations for observing the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. The event runs through Saturday.

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.7 million members in more than 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

Link

 

[commenter]

The 2016 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly gathering in New Orleans this week overwhelmingly accepted a unique ecumenical document that establishes a path toward greater unity between Catholics and Lutherans. By a vote of 931 to 9, the assembly on Wednesday (Aug. 10) approved the “Declaration on the Way.”

The document encompasses 32 “statements of agreement” that outline where Lutherans and Catholics concur on topics about church, ministry, and the Eucharist. To a lesser degree, the document also explores differences that remain between the two religions, according to an ELCA news release. The assembly stood to applaud after the vote.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton said the “Declaration on the Way” not only helps Lutherans to more fully realize their unity in Christ with Catholics but also shows a commitment to bond with all Christians.

“Dear sisters and brothers, let us pause to honor this historic moment,” Eaton said, addressing the assembly following the vote. “Though we have not yet arrived, we have claimed that we are, in fact, on the way to unity. After 500 years of division and 50 years of dialogue, this action must be understood in the context of other significant agreements we have reached, most notably the ‘Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification’ in 1999.”

In another major consideration, the assembly voted 921 to 11 in favor of AMMPARO – the ELCA’s strategy to Accompany Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities.

The ELCA developed the strategy for to obtain the following goals:

to uphold the basic human rights and safety of migrant children and their families;

to address the root causes of migration in countries from Central America's Northern Triangle and Mexico and the treatment of migrants in transit;

to work toward just and humane policies affecting migrants in and outside the U.S.;

to engage as a church with all of its companions, affiliates and partners to respond to the migration situation and its causes; and

to advocate for migrant children and their families.

The assembly also voted 895 to 23 to accept the 2017-2019 budget proposal approved and recommended by the ELCA Church Council. The budget proposal includes:

a 2017 current fund spending authorization of $65.3 million and a 2017 ELCA world hunger spending authorization of $24.8 million;

a 2018 current fund income proposal of $64,057,220, and a 2018 ELCA world hunger income proposal of $25 million; and

a 2019 current fund income proposal of $64,151,175, and a 2019 ELCA world hunger income proposal of $25 million.

The assembly – the highest legislative authority of the ELCA – is meeting at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The assembly’s business will include preparations for observing the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. The event runs through Saturday.

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.7 million members in more than 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

Link

Their relentless support, or crusade, for legalized abortion, outweighs all the ecumenical hype.
Cited from their Social Statement on Abortion:
“A developing life in the womb does not have an absolute right to be born…”
The denomination states that through an official denominational agency, they would cover costs of an abortion, for reasons of sex selection.
The ELCA is moving steadily farther away from the Catholic Church, and traditional Protestants, not only on abortion but many other things.

catholicstand.com/elca-abortion/

 

[Usige]

I read the actual statement (and swallowed the grimace of a woman in clerical suit and collar claiming the title bishop [where is the shudder smiley when you need it?]).

I would say bridging the gap is a a bit of an overstatement. It states some very basic things that we kinda, sorta, possibly agree on. Or maybe better to say things we don’t completely disagree on. It then gets more truthful about some of the vast gaps in understandings we have. One area of huge disagreementioned that isn’t even touched on is the sacrament of Matrimony. Likely because the ELCA completely rejects traditional Christian understanding on marriage of sexual morals.

The understanding is less building a bridge and more like waving at each other across a mile wide chasm.

It would have made more sense to make an agreement with LCMS than the ELCA. The LCMS is much closer to Catholic understanding than the liberalized teachings of the ELCA.

 

[MaryT777]

I read the actual statement (and swallowed the grimace of a woman in clerical suit and collar claiming the title bishop [where is the shudder smiley when you need it?]).

I would say bridging the gap is a a bit of an overstatement. It states some very basic things that we kinda, sorta, possibly agree on. Or maybe better to say things we don’t completely disagree on. It then gets more truthful about some of the vast gaps in understandings we have. One area of huge disagreementioned that isn’t even touched on is the sacrament of Matrimony. Likely because the ELCA completely rejects traditional Christian understanding on marriage of sexual morals.

The understanding is less building a bridge and more like waving at each other across a mile wide chasm.

It would have made more sense to make an agreement with LCMS than the ELCA. The LCMS is much closer to Catholic understanding than the liberalized teachings of the ELCA.

The LCMS shares moral values regarding abortion, same sex marriage, and homosexuality with the Catholic Church. They are however miles apart on the issue of the Papacy claiming the office of the Papacy is Antichrist and the Smalcald articles stating the Pope is the actual antichrist.

Thus the Lutheran Book of Concord states, “[T]he pope is the real Antichrist who has raised himself over and set himself against Christ . . . Accordingly, just as we cannot adore the devil himself as our lord or God, so we cannot suffer his apostle, the pope or Antichrist, to govern us as our head or lord” (Smalcald Articles 2:4:10, 14).

For the reasons noted above regarding the ELCA and its teaching on abortion, women ordination, gay relationships and clergy it’s hard for me to be too encourage about the Lutheran/Catholic commemoration of the Reformation planned for the near future. The
LCMS and other confessional Lutheran Synods are not participating in this commemoration.

 

[1ke]

Their relentless support, or crusade, for legalized abortion, outweighs all the ecumenical hype.
Cited from their Social Statement on Abortion

My thought exactly.

 

[Usige]

The LCMS shares moral values regarding abortion, same sex marriage, and homosexuality with the Catholic Church. They are however miles apart on the issue of the Papacy claiming the office of the Papacy is Antichrist and the Smalcald articles stating the Pope is the actual antichrist.

Oh, I’m not saying that the LCMS is months away from reunion, but simply that they have fewer issues to resolve than the ELCA. They each have different issues, but if either of them one day were in communion with Rome I’d lay my bets on the LCMS, WELS or other similar synods. I would think ELCA would be a better fit to join with the Episcopalian church because they both interpret the bible much more loosely.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

Statements such as this between the branches of the Church are always positive, and with the ELCA and the RCs, it is a foretaste of all the activities to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Kudos to this work done.

 

[Usige]

Statements such as this between the branches of the Church are always positive, and with the ELCA and the RCs, it is a foretaste of all the activities to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Kudos to this work done.

If there is no move towards unity then they are just empty platitudes. Is the ELCA going to disavow homosexual marriage? Will they stop “ordaining” women? Win they accept the sinfulness of infanticide in abortion?

Simply saying we agree on some stuff while ignoring support of evil is not unity. This is especially true when one group has zero intent to turn back from sin, but runs full tilt to not only embrace it, but to promote it.

 

[MaryT777]

If there is no move towards unity then they are just empty platitudes. Is the ELCA going to disavow homosexual marriage? Will they stop “ordaining” women? Win they accept the sinfulness of infanticide in abortion?

Simply saying we agree on some stuff while ignoring support of evil is not unity. This is especially true when one group has zero intent to turn back from sin, but runs full tilt to not only embrace it, but to promote it.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

If there is no move towards unity then they are just empty platitudes. Is the ELCA going to disavow homosexual marriage? Will they stop “ordaining” women? Win they accept the sinfulness of infanticide in abortion?

Simply saying we agree on some stuff while ignoring support of evil is not unity. This is especially true when one group has zero intent to turn back from sin, but runs full tilt to not only embrace it, but to promote it.

There needs to be respect from both sides, as those of us who work in the Interfaith and Ecumenical arena know very well. The document from the Lutherans looks excellent. And as I said, it speaks volumes in preparation for all the Lutheran/Roman Catholic joint ceremonies and prayer events coming up shortly.

 

[Usige]

There needs to be respect from both sides, as those of us who work in the Interfaith and Ecumenical arena know very well. The document from the Lutherans looks excellent. And as I said, it speaks volumes in preparation for all the Lutheran/Roman Catholic joint ceremonies and prayer events coming up shortly.

I respect theological differences, but will never willingly turn a blind eye to differences that violate divine and natural law. This is especially true when those persons promote complete and utter EVIL.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

I respect theological differences, but will never willingly turn a blind eye to differences that violate divine and natural law. This is especially true when those persons promote complete and utter EVIL.

Well, your Church is going ahead with all sorts of partnerships in dialogue, not only with the Lutherans, but other branches as well. And it is going ahead with the exciting commemoration of the Reformation. What will be particularly poignant are the joint prayer services, including the one in Sweden attended by the Pope.

 

[Usige]

Well, your Church is going ahead with all sorts of partnerships in dialogue, not only with the Lutherans, but other branches as well. And it is going ahead with the exciting commemoration of the Reformation. What will be particularly poignant are the joint prayer services, including the one in Sweden attended by the Pope.

 

[commenter]

There needs to be respect from both sides, as those of us who work in the Interfaith and Ecumenical arena know very well. The document from the Lutherans looks excellent. And as I said, it speaks volumes in preparation for all the Lutheran/Roman Catholic joint ceremonies and prayer events coming up shortly.

What about the Prolife Arena, the Religious Liberty Arena, the Sanctity of Marriage Arena? Not only is ELCA absent from those arenas, they bitterly oppose the Catholic Faith on those issues.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

What about the Prolife Arena, the Religious Liberty Arena, the Sanctity of Marriage Arena? Not only is ELCA absent from those arenas, they bitterly oppose the Catholic Faith on those issues.

If you are speaking only of the US ELCA/USCCB and their statement, it doesn’t address any of those things in the 32 points of unity. Here is a link to the document itself, from the USCCB website:

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/ecumenical-and-interreligious/ecumenical/lutheran/upload/Declaration_on_the_Way-for-Website.pdf

If you are looking at Lutheran bodies in Europe, such as the Swedish Church, and any statements of unity that they may produce (and I don’t know what they are working on), their political issues would not be the same as those in the US.

 

[commenter]

Originally Posted by commenter View Post
What about the Prolife Arena, the Religious Liberty Arena, the Sanctity of Marriage Arena? Not only is ELCA absent from those arenas, they bitterly oppose the Catholic Faith on those issues.

If you are speaking only of the US ELCA/USCCB and their statement, it doesn’t address any of those things in the 32 points of unity.

If you are looking at Lutheran bodies in Europe, such as the Swedish Church, and any statements of unity that they may produce (and I don’t know what they are working on), their political issues would not be the same as those in the US.

Ecumenical progress is not shown by statements about ecumenism, but by their connection to “Real Life”. The United States bishops have explicitly identified Prolife, Religious Liberty, and Sanctity of Marriage as crucial in 2016. An ecumenical statement that could address issues both in the Reformation era, as well as crucial 2016 In Real Life, is more significant than one that cannot. This one cannot. Does it have value or current relevance? Yes, but not much.

Keep in mind the Catholic Church, both in the US and at the Vatican level, is in constant discussion with all kinds of groups. There are meetings with atheists, with abortion supporters, with Hindus, with Solipsists, with political conservatives, with Communists, with Traditionalist Catholic groups that broke with the Holy See, with the Mormons, etc. (The Solipsists complained their meeting with the Holy See got little coverage in the Media).

There is one ongoing discussion with Anglicans that has been meeting about 50 years. Every year they report “significant” progress; (sometimes words like “breakthrough” and “historic” appear). There is never a year with little or no progress reported. In 2066, they will no doubt report significant progress for that year. And still go on meeting. The glowing statements about ecumenism keep coming.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

Originally Posted by commenter View Post
What about the Prolife Arena, the Religious Liberty Arena, the Sanctity of Marriage Arena? Not only is ELCA absent from those arenas, they bitterly oppose the Catholic Faith on those issues.

Ecumenical progress is not shown by statements about ecumenism, but by their connection to “Real Life”. The United States bishops have explicitly identified Prolife, Religious Liberty, and Sanctity of Marriage as crucial in 2016. An ecumenical statement that could address issues both in the Reformation era, as well as crucial 2016 In Real Life, is more significant than one that cannot. This one cannot. Does it have value or current relevance? Yes, but not much.

Keep in mind the Catholic Church, both in the US and at the Vatican level, is in constant discussion with all kinds of groups. There are meetings with atheists, with abortion supporters, with Hindus, with Solipsists, with political conservatives, with Communists, with Traditionalist Catholic groups that broke with the Holy See, with the Mormons, etc. (The Solipsists complained their meeting with the Holy See got little coverage in the Media).

There is one ongoing discussion with Anglicans that has been meeting about 50 years. Every year they report “significant” progress; (sometimes words like “breakthrough” and “historic” appear). There is never a year with little or no progress reported. In 2066, they will no doubt report significant progress for that year. And still go on meeting. The glowing statements about ecumenism keep coming.

I agree with you, but would say that it is a partial lens with which to see ecumenical and interfaith work. There are dialogue groups that will sit and discuss theology until the they are blue in the face and then walk away. The work tends not to go past a certain point.

However there are joint ventures that are very specific and will work well. I’m thinking of the work that the RCs did with the Mormons here in California over Proposition 8 (marriage equality). Both sides put in a whole lot of money and effort and from what I heard, there was considerable collaboration at the top.

The venture with the Lutherans is in a different category, in my opinion. With the anniversary upon us, there is considerable incentive to show theological agreement (not too difficult there) as well as collaboration. That has already been identified. So we will see lots of heads of churches in their jurisdictions meeting, getting press coverage, and ultimately coming together in prayer. It’s a prime opportunity and a very good thing.

The Pope has already met with the Archbishop, Primate of Sweden, in anticipation of his visit there for the commemoration. Here they are together. It will be powerful to see the two of them leading a prayer service side by side.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Wesrock]

Problems aside, it’s heartening to see other denominations desiring the unity of the Christian faith and progress towards communion with the bishop of Rome.