Lutheran group plans to resist accord

Christian Century, April 12, 2000

Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who oppose a proposed "full communion" agreement with the Episcopal Church gathered in Minnesota on March 26 to plan a strategy intended to derail the accord. The agreement, which was approved by Lutherans last summer and is expected to be approved by Episcopalians in July, would allow both denominations to share ministries and recognize each other's clergy and sacraments.

Under the proposal, Lutherans would also accept the historic line of bishops within the Episcopal Church. Members of the WordAlone Network, which was chartered at the recent meeting, oppose the accord because it requires Lutherans to ordain their clergy by the laying-on of hands by three ordained bishops--a change in Lutheran tradition.

Roger Eigenfeld, chair of WordAlone and pastor of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, said he hopes Lutheran churches will not leave the denomination over the issue, but he believes it could happen. "We aren't going to leave," Eigenfeld said. "We want to stay. But we might get kicked out." According to Eigenfeld, his group wants to rework the full-communion agreement so the historic episcopate is not mandatory--a move that most likely would not be supported by Episcopalians.