Lutherans consider ordination compromise

Christian Century, Nov 8, 2000

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has proposed a compromise to pastors who object to ordination rules under a new full-communion agreement with the Episcopal Church. The "Called to Common Mission" agreement between Lutherans and Episcopalians, set to take effect January I, will allow the churches to share clergy and joint mission projects,

The proposed compromise deals with a touchy issue. Several Lutheran factions, especially in the upper Midwest, oppose the accord's adoption of the Episcopalians practice of ordination only by a bishop. New Lutheran ministers could no longer be ordained by other clergy.

The ELCA's Conference of Bishops, meeting in Chicago October 5-10, offered a proposal that will be considered in mid-November by the ELCA Church Council, which serves as the church's board of directors between biennial churchwide assemblies. Under the proposal, if a new pastor wishes to be "irregularly ordained" without a bishop, the synod's bishop will consult with both the church's presiding bishop and the synod council to make a "pastoral decision" on ordination. If the Church Council agrees to the measure, it would offer a bylaw change to next summer's Churchwide Assembly.

Daniel Martensen, the Lutherans' ecumenical liaison, cautioned that the compromise could cause concern in the Episcopal Church "that we might be undermining [Called to Common Mission]."

Echoing Martensen's concern, Episcopal Bishop Chris Epting of Iowa, an adviser for the team that wrote CCM, told Episcopal News Service that he hopes that "Lutherans wouldn't go that route."

Still, opponents of the agreement say the proposed compromise would not address all of their concerns. Former Minnesota Governor Al Quie, vice chair of the Word Alone Network, said the ordination compromise would not soothe objections to the requirement that church bishops be installed into the "historic episcopate," the line of bishops that traces its roots back to the early church. "It's the mandating of it, the historic episcopate, that we are primarily objecting to," Quie added.