ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 12, 2013
ELCA bishops discuss a distinctive Lutheran witness in the world
13-12-MRC/CHB
ITASCA, Ill (ELCA) -- Recognizing the rapidly changing landscape of
religion, society and the world the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), said the ELCA is in
a "kairos" moment and that members can make a compelling "Lutheran
witness in our culture today."
At the ELCA Conference of Bishops meeting here Feb. 28-March 5,
Hanson framed his report around questions ELCA members and congregations
are frequently asking. "Often the question is," Hanson said, "Where is
God leading this church?"
The ELCA Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church
that includes 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and secretary. The
Rev. Jessica R. Crist, bishop of the ELCA Montana Synod, chairs the
conference.
In the context of what narrative ELCA members are considering about
the future of this church, the presiding bishop said he has reflected on
the scripture readings for recent Sundays. "They help us keep our
conversation about the future in the context of the story of God's
faithfulness to God's promises in the past," said Hanson.
"Before God's chosen people entered the promise land, they were
instructed to make a thank-offering and recite the story of God's
deliverance from bondage in Egypt," he said.
"On the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples saw in the presence
of Moses and Elijah the stories of the wilderness wandering, the gift of
the law, and God's prophetic word of judgment and hope. Then they were
given a glimpse of the resurrected Christ, transfigured before them.
Being embraced by God's faithfulness in the past and God's future
promise, they were ready to follow Jesus in his ministry," said Hanson.
He asked the conference, "How do we keep ministry in the context of
the narrative of God's faithfulness to God's promises? There are so many
competing narratives." In sharing that the ELCA is a "book of faith"
church, the presiding bishop talked about the ELCA's "rich resources and
gifted teachers of scripture."
The frustration often heard, said Hanson, is that "it is a
challenge to engage people to study the scriptures so that they will
shape our images of the church we believe that God is calling us to
become.
"I hope that we struggle together as a church as much with the
question how do we keep this narrative alive, accessible and invitational
as we do with more specific questions regarding the future of
congregations, synods, the churchwide organization and the whole ELCA,"
he said.
Hanson told the conference that a newspaper reporter recently asked
him what is distinctive about being Lutheran -- also a question Hanson
asks when visiting with ELCA congregations. "The most frequent response
is 'grace.' With (Martin) Luther, we confess that we stand before God
only on account of Christ. This is our witness -- Christ is present for
you in the means of grace, word and water, bread and wine."
Hanson also talked about his February visit to First Lutheran
Church, an ELCA congregation in San Diego, "a congregation whose ministry
is centered on the Lord's Table from which people are sent to feed the
hungry and engage in ministry with people who are homeless.
"We have a marvelous moment to be a church known for its radical
hospitality," he said. "The urgent question for us is who is not at the
table. How do we extend the invitation to all? When we are fed at
Christ's table, we are sent to work so that all will have daily bread."
The presiding bishop said the question about where is God leading
this church is also answered "every day in the lives of 4 million people
who live out God's baptismal calling in families, friendships, work and
school, as citizens and members of congregations. It is answered in the
10,000 congregations engaged through scripture, listening to their
communities and joining with neighboring congregations. The spirit is
stirring this church with imagination and passion for God's mission."
As he concluded his report to the conference, Hanson invited synod
bishops to consider the kind of leaders needed in the church. "How do we
form leaders for a very radically different church, a church that is
increasingly (less hierarchical) and connected and not mediated by
institutions but a church that is firmly planted?" In small-group
conversations, the synod bishops talked about creating future leaders who
are prepared for change.
"We need to be careful that we are not just another generic,
American, Protestant denomination, that we're not part of a revivalist,
Calvinist movement and Protestant majority. It is possible to have a
genuine voice that is not subsumed or assimilated by the overwhelming
American voice," said the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, bishop of the ELCA
Northeastern Ohio Synod.
The changing landscape in leadership development
As part of its overall attention to the future of the ELCA, the
conference discussed the church's changing landscape in leadership
development, theological education, candidacy, call and rosters. The
conference received from the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop a report
with recommendations that is scheduled for presentation to the Church
Council at its April meeting in Chicago.
While the overall goal is to form the kind of leaders needed
to "serve the gospel and God's mission in the future," Hanson said,
beneath that is how the church will identify leaders and form them along
the way. The need to address that in a "holistic manner" has become
pressing as other conversations about candidacy and the ELCA's clergy and
professional lay rosters continue, and as the ELCA's eight seminaries
address funding challenges and the development of new patterns of
providing theological education in effective, sustainable ways.
"As we look to the preparation of future leaders for the church,
bishops are deeply concerned about theological education," said Crist in
an interview.
"As the needs of the church are changing, so are the circumstances
of our eight ELCA seminaries. With several seminaries in leadership
transition and all reconsidering their curriculum and standards, we are
at a critical moment. For the first time, bishops serving on the boards
of all the ELCA seminaries met together to share information on the
strengths and challenges facing the seminaries today. The bishops also
heard a proposal that will be considered by the Church Council to form a
task force to find ways to move forward cooperatively, so that we can
continue to produce leaders for the church of the future," she said.
In anticipation of the conference's discussion on theological
education, the Rev. Jon V. Anderson, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern
Minnesota Synod, said about 20 synod bishops who serve on ELCA seminary
boards gathered March 1 to share some joys, concerns and developments.
From that meeting, five primary observations surfaced - seminaries are
under stress; the seminary accreditation process has changed; there is a
need to interpret to the ELCA's nearly 10,000 congregations what is
happening in seminaries and in the process of leadership formation; the
current seminary students are an amazing gift - the group is touched by
the young leaders God is calling; and, there are partnerships and
alliances forming, particularly among some ELCA colleges and universities
and seminaries.
The bishops agreed that discussion on the future of the ELCA's
theological education will depend on collaboration with all stakeholders
and that focus should be placed on the entire system instead of on
individual seminaries.
"We value the vision for collaboration around experiments rather
than everyone doing their own thing. We also see this as the framing that
the church is looking at theological formation rather than just
seminaries," said the Rev. Wayne N. Miller, bishop of the ELCA
Metropolitan Chicago Synod.
The synod bishops also discussed a draft of the proposed social
statement on criminal justice. "In conversation, bishops identified
numerous groups with whom they intended to share the statement, once
approved by the Church Council. They include: congregations supporting
prison congregations, a church-run deli that trains former prisoners in
food preparation, groups of inmates, law enforcement people," said Crist.
In other business the conference:
+ Continued their conversation about the possibility of moving toward
one, unified ELCA roster of Word and Service. According to the Rev.
William O. Gafkjen, bishop of the ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod, there has
been "a lot of affirmation" for the possibility but noted three areas of
concern: the understanding of the word "diaconal" in service ministry;
the impact of a roster on word and service and the ministry of all
Christians; and the pastoral concern over the transition to a new roster.
The church's task force charged with working on a single roster is
expected to bring a final proposal to the ELCA Church Council before the
2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
+ Recommended a process of "formal exploration" of a particular social
concern, authorized by the Church Council, before a decision is made
about the most appropriate way of addressing a social concern. According
to the Rev. William C. Boerger, bishop of the ELCA Northwest Washington
Synod, the rationale for the proposed change is that it provides a spirit
of communal discernment on social concerns; strengthens awareness that
the ELCA responds to social concerns in multiple ways; shifts the focus
of authority for starting a study process by having the exploratory group
make recommendations to the council; allows for social messages to be
developed in response to future issues and does not privilege social
statements as the most important way the church addresses a social
concern.
+ Received a report from David Swartling, ELCA secretary, who updated the
conference on preparations for the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to be
held in Pittsburgh, Aug. 12-17. To date, 61 percent of the 952 voting
members of the assembly are lay members, and about 40 percent of clergy
are women. Of the total number of voting members, 13 percent are people
of color or whose primary language is other than English, and 17 percent
of voting members are 30 or younger. The process for selecting alternate
voting members was reviewed. This spring, 25 synod bishop elections will
be held with at least 10 new synod bishops.
+ Received an update from Portico Health Benefits on the transition to
the new ELCA Health Plan due to the U.S. Healthcare Reform Act, which
goes into effect in 2014. Representatives from Portico plan to attend
nearly all 65 synod assemblies during spring and summer for transition
and roll-out of the new plans.
+ Heard a report from the Rev. Linda Norman, ELCA treasurer, who shared
that the ELCA churchwide organization had income in excess of expense of
$5.3 million in current operating funds for the 2012 fiscal year, a
favorable variance of $1 million from 2011. Income from congregations
shared with synods and the churchwide organization in the form of Mission
Support for the 2012 fiscal year decreased to $49.9 million, a decrease
of $0.6 million or 1.1 percent but was favorable to the budget by $1.1
million or 2.3 percent. In a good sign, Norman said that there is some
returning stabilization for Mission Support. For the third consecutive
year, there has been growth in the number of synods reporting increases
in Mission Support, she said. In 2012, 35 of the 65 synods remitted
Mission Support in excess of the previous year. Consequently, the rates
of decline in the rolling 12-month total of Mission Support have
continued to lessen in the past three years. In other income, ELCA World
Hunger received $18.6 million and $4.2 was given for the ELCA Malaria
Campaign in 2012. The goal of the campaign is to raise $15 million by
2015.
+ Received a proposal for "God's work. Our hands Sunday" for celebrating
the ELCA's 25th anniversary in 2013. The proposal suggests a single day
to invite congregations to engage in service activities in their
communities.
+ Received an updated proposal for a five-year, 25th anniversary
fundraising campaign.
+ Discussed what contributions synods make to the wider church and what
synods need from the church. The Rev. Richard Graham, bishop of the ELCA
Metropolitan Washington D.C., Synod, invited the conference to engage in
small-group discussions. The context for this conversation is part of a
continuance of the "Living into the Future Together: Renewing the Ecology
of the ELCA."
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United
States, with more than 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations
across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church
of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God
through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the
world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church
reformer, Martin Luther.
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Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com
Candice Hill Buchbinder
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http://www.ELCA.org/news
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Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com
