BACKGROUND INFORMATION - RC2001-6 and RC2001-7

Alternate Ordination Standards in the Minneapolis Area Synod and Calling for Churchwide Constitutional Changes to Provide Alternate Ordination Standards

RC2000-10

Approved at 2000 MAS Assembly

RESOLUTION

Calling for Constitutional Changesto Provide for Alternate Ordination and Alternate Installation Authority

·         WHEREAS,The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has embarked upon a course inwhich all pastors shall be ordained by a bishop in the Historic Episcopate and all bishops shall be installed by

3        a bishop in the Historic Episcopate; and

4

·         WHEREAS, some pre-seminarians, candidates for ordination, and ordained ministers are opposed

6        to ordination or installation under the above rubric on the grounds that their adherence to Scripture

7        and to the Lutheran Confessions are compromised thereby; and

8

·         WHEREAS, the constitution of the ELCA places the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran

10     Confessions above the authority of the Churchwide Assembly (see ELCA Constitution sections 2.03,

1 1   2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 3.01, 5.0l.a, 5.0l.d); and

12

1 3   WHEREAS, adherence to the Lutheran Confessions is required of all ordained ministers in this

14     church (see 7.22 & 7.31.1l.b); and

15

16     WHEREAS, a failure to submit to Scripture and adhere to the Lutheran Confessions are cause for

17     dismissal from this church (see 20.21.0l.a); and

18

19         WHEREAS, The ELCA Conference of Bishops, in a recent pastoral letter, expressed their "desire

20         that implementation of 'Called to Common Mission’ enable full participation in the ELCA of all

·  1 members' and invited 'the exploration of possible ways to allow synodical bishops ... to authorize

22         another ELCA pastor to preside at an ordination" and asked the ELCA Church Council 'to pursue this

23         exploration;” therefore be it

24

25         RESOLVED, that the 2000 Assembly of the Minneapolis Area Synod, in order to acknowledge the

26         objection to ordination of pastors and installation of bishops under the above rubric by some pre-

27         seminarians, candidates for ordination and ordained ministers, requests that the ELCA Church

28         Council honor the request of the ELCA Conference of Bishops by actively exploring possible changes

29         in the ELCA governing documents that would allow ordinations and installations to occur outside the

30         Historic Episcopate; and be it further

31

32         RESOLVED, that the 2000 Assembly of the Minneapolis Area Synod requests that the ELCA Church

33         Council consider the following constitutional provisions for adoption by the 2001 Churchwide

34         Assembly (shown with the changes made by the 1999 Churchwide Assembly contingent on the

35     approval of "Called to Common Mission" by the Episcopal Church in July 2000):

36                     1. To amend churchwide bylaw 10.3l.a.9 by addition of the underlined text:

37                                  10.3l.a. As the synod's pastor, the bishop shall: ....

38                                  9) Exercise solely this church's power to ordain (or provide for the ordination by

39                                  another synodical bishop or, in exceptional circumstances provide for the ordination by

40                                  another pastor of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly

41                                  issued, duly attested letter of call for the office of ordained ministry... (with remainder

42                                  of this provision unchanged.)

43                                          - continued on other side -

44                      2. To amend churchwide bylaw 7.31.13.f. by the addition of the underlined text:

      45                                   7.31.13. Preparation and Approval. Except as provided below, a candidate for

      46                                   ordination as a pastor shall have:....

      47                                   f. been examined and approved by the appropriate committee according to

      48                                   criteria, policies and procedures established by the Division for Ministry,after

      49                                   consultation with the Conference of Bishops and adoption by the Church Council,

      50                                   which criteria, policies and procedures shall include standards for approval of

     51                                   those candidates for ordination who have a theological objection to ordination in

      52                                   the Historic Episcopate. CThe remainder of 7.31.13. shall remain unchanged.)

      53

54                      3. To amend +S8.12.c. in the Constitution for Synods by addition of the underlined

      55                      text:

      56                                          +S8.12. As this synod's pastor, the bishop shall:....

      57                                          c. Exercise solely this church's power to ordain (or provide for the ordination by

      58                                          another synodical bishop or, in exceptional circumstances provide for the

      59                                          ordination by another pastor of) approved candidates who have received and

      60                                          accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for the office of ordained

      61                                         ministry... (with the remainder of the provision unchanged.)

      62

63                      4. To amend churchwide bylaw 10.81.01. by addition of the underlined text:

      64                                   10.81.01. The presiding bishop of this church, or a bishop appointed by the

      65                                   presiding bishop of this church, shall preside for the installation into office, in

      66                                   accord with the policy and approved rite of this church, of each newly elected

      67                                   synodical bishop. In the event that a newly elected Unodical bishop has a

      68                                   theological objection to installation in the Historic Episcopate, said objection shall

      69                                   be honored by the appointment of an appropriate bishop to preside for the

      70                                   newly elected bishop's installation.

      71

72                      5. To amend +S8.15. in the Constitution for Synods by addition of the underlined

      73                      text:

      74                                          +S8.15. The presiding bishop of this church, or the appointee of the presiding

      75                                          bishop, shall install into office, in accord with the policy and approved rite of this

      76                                          church, each newly elected synodical bishop. In the event that a newly elected

      77                                          synodical bishop has a theological objection to installation in the Historic

      78                                          Episcopate, said objection shall be honored by the appointment of an

      79                                          appropriate bishop to preside for the newly elected bishop's installation.

      80

      81                      6. To          amend churchwide resolution 16.1l.B95.c.1 by addition of the underlined text:

      82                                          16.1l.B95. Division for Ministry

      83                                          .... this division shall...

      84                                          c.1) develop, in consultation with the Conference of Bishops, ecclesiastical

      85                                          standards for the admission of persons to and the continuation of persons on the

      86                                          roster of ordained ministers and associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal

      87                                          ministers, to include standards that allow for the ordination of persons who

      88                                          qualify for ordination except for their theological objection to ordination in the

      89                                          Historic Episcopate.

      90

Submitted by.  The Minneapolis Area Synod Council on April 1Z 2000.

Contact person: Vice President Kari Christianson (612-757-1666).

Reference & Counsel forwards this resolution without recommendation.