Title: ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Workshop on Christian Unity
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 23, 2003

ELCA PRESIDING BISHOP ADDRESSES WORKSHOP ON CHRISTIAN UNITY
03-104-FI

     SAVANNAH, Ga. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), addressed the
closing luncheon of the National Workshop on Christian Unity, which met
here May 12-15.  He expressed gratitude to those who work for Christian
unity and named a series of "factors, forces and questions which may
have significant impact on the future of ecumenism."
     Christian unity is expressed more easily at the grass roots than
it is through theological dialogues between church bodies, Hanson said.
He stressed the importance of both, wondering if "laity who pray
together, study scripture in ecumenical gatherings and work on community
service projects" might be patient with unhurried church bureaucracy,
while encouraging dialogue partners to ground their relationships in
prayer.
     "I believe every congregation should be encouraged, if not
expected, to be involved in concrete ways of expressing our unity,
experiencing our unity and exploring our unity.  We in national and
regional leadership should applaud such actions and not convey that
somehow they are a lesser form of ecumenism," said Hanson.
     Hanson described "the ecumenical landscape" and questioned ways in
which to balance Christians coming together around ethical issues and
around relationships achieved through ecclesiastical negotiations.
People in the United States seem "more interested in making an impact
through serving others than preoccupied with the future of religious
institutions," he said.  "We remain a deeply spiritual people, yet
increasingly not wanting to be identified denominationally."
     Deep theological conversations between church bodies will
continue, said Hanson.  "I trust that bilateral dialogues will remain a
significant part of the ecumenical landscape," he said.
     Hanson urged the churches to place renewed emphasis on
implementing agreements between denominations at the grass roots.  "The
process of receiving the work of the dialogues must begin before the
dialogues are completed, so that the results of the dialogues can be
received joyfully and be understood fully in our parishes and
judicatories," he said.
     Proposals to "expand the space of ecumenical conversation" beyond
the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC) and
beyond the World Council of Churches (WCC) are promising, Hanson said.
The ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August will consider becoming a charter
member of Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A., and the WCC is
working to establish a similar Global Forum.
     "To bring many traditions that have historically distanced
themselves from ecumenical conversation -- such as Evangelicals,
Pentecostals and some in the Baptist tradition -- is fraught with
possibility," Hanson said, adding that the work of the NCC and WCC
should continue to be supported.
     Christians should continue to connect with others of the same
tradition in ways like the Lutheran World Federation draws Lutherans
together in study and service, said Hanson.  "Global confessional
communions that can learn to speak with one voice, albeit in a blended
harmony, will begin to enjoy the strong identity Roman Catholics possess
as members of one church," he said.
     The events of Sept. 11, 2001, have added significance to
interfaith relationships, Hanson said, reporting that the ELCA has
entered into a bilateral conversation with Reform Judaism.  He supported
the NCC's work in "relating more deeply to Muslims and to other faith
traditions."
     The future of ecumenism will rely heavily on the next generation
of ecumenists, said Hanson.  "It is incumbent on every person in this
room to seek out and foster our future leaders," he said.  "Encourage
young people to think about church vocations, either lay or ordained."
     The Rev. Dennis A. Andersen, president, Lutheran Ecumenical
Representatives Network (LERN), and pastor, Bethany Lutheran Church,
Seattle, called Hanson's address "a signal to the entire ecumenical
community of the basic and ethical ecumenical persuasion of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America."
     "The entire Lutheran community can be proud of the vision that was
shared on behalf of the ELCA to a wide variety of Christian people,"
said Andersen.  "Bishop Hanson spoke not only for the ELCA but gave a
gift of vision and energy and passion to the entire Church," he said.
     Of the workshop's more than 300 participants, about 60 were
members of the ELCA.  Two major plenaries were devoted to Evangelical
and Pentecostal movements toward Christian unity and how they might
relate to the ecumenical movement of "mainline" churches.
     The Rev. Randall R. Lee, director, ELCA Department for Ecumenical
Affairs, Chicago, took part in a plenary panel discussion of various
structures the diaconate -- including deacons, deaconesses, diaconal
ministers and associates in ministry -- has taken in U.S. churches.
     Dr. Susan K. Wood, SCL, St. John's University, Collegeville,
Minn., addressed a Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic luncheon.  She is a
Catholic member of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogue in the United
States.
     Wood described the dialogue as a spiral staircase, each step
taking churches up to the next step and closer to the goal.  She said
the current tenth round of talks will not be the last step.  "Our lived
experience is not yet over."
     The workshop included 11 seminars, each offered two or three
times, on such topics as "Grassroots Ecumenism, Community Style" and
"Interfaith Listening."
     The Rev. William G. Rusch, executive director, Foundation for a
Conference on Faith and Order in North America, New York, and former
director, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs, led a seminar based on
the question: "What Is Keeping the Churches Together?"
     Focusing on dictionary definitions of "together," Rusch said the
word applies to church relations in some senses but not others.
     "Churches involved in the ecumenical movement are comfortable with
one another in ways that would have been unimaginable," said Rusch.
They are not, however, nor may they want to be "in or into a single
group, mass or place," he said.
     "The goal of churches in the ecumenical movement should be full
visible unity," said Rusch, "not simply cooperating together."


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