Title: ELCA Seminary Prsidents Counsel on Ecumenism ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEF April 21, 1997 SEMINARY PRESIDENTS COUNSEL ON ECUMENISM Without endorsing any of the ecumenical proposals now before the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the presidents of the ELCA's eight seminaries have offered the church their counsel. They recommended that Lutherans give the details of each proposal careful attention, honor the convictions of the Lutheran confessions and value respectful disagreement. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly will vote on three proposals when it meets Aug. 14-20 in Philadelphia. The proposals are that the ELCA enter into full communion with the Episcopal Church, enter into full communion with three Reformed churches -- the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ -- and declare certain 16th century condemnations of the Roman Catholic Church no longer apply. "We seek the fullest levels of fellowship possible with the Reformed, Episcopal and Roman Catholic communions. A number of our schools have close working relationships with seminaries of those traditions," said the presidents. "These decisions will have important consequences for us." The faculty of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa., unanimously endorsed the two proposals for full communion in December. The faculty of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia did likewise in January. In March the faculty of Lutheran Theological Seminary, Columbia, S.C. supported the adoption of all three ecumenical proposals. SEMINARY PRESIDENTS The Rev. Dennis A. Anderson, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio The Rev. Darold H. Beekmann, Lutheran Theo. Seminary at Gettysburg,Pa. The Rev. Roger W. Fjeld, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa The Rev. Robert G. Hughes, Lutheran Theo. Seminary at Philadelphia The Rev. William E. Lesher, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago The Rev. Timothy F. Lull, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif. The Rev. H. Frederick Reisz Jr., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C. The Rev. David L. Tiede, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. For information contact: Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html