CONCERNING ALTERNATE ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION AUTHORITY

WHEREAS, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has embarked upon a course in which all pastors shall be ordained by a bishop in the Historic Episcopate and all bishops shall be installed by a bishop in the Historic Episcopate; and

WHEREAS, some pre-seminarians, candidates for ordination, and ordained ministers are opposed to ordination or installation under the above rubric on the grounds that their adherence to Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions are compromised thereby; and

WHEREAS, the constitution of the ELCA places the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions above the authority of the Churchwide Assembly (see ELCA Constitution sections 2.03,  2.04,  2.05, 2.06,  2.07,  3.01,  5.01.a,  5.01.d);  and

WHEREAS, adherence to the Lutheran Confessions is required of all ordained ministers in this church (see 7.22 and 7.31.11.b); and

WHEREAS, a failure to submit to Scripture and adhere to the Lutheran Confessions are cause for dismissal from this church (see 20.21.01.a); and

WHEREAS, the ELCA Conference of Bishops, in a recent pastoral letter, expressed their “desire that implementation of ‘Called to Common Mission’ enable full participation in the ELCA of all members” and invited “the exploration of possible ways to allow synodical bishops. . .to authorize another ELCA pastor to preside at an ordination” and asked the ELCA Church Council “to pursue this exploration;” therefore be it

RESOLVED, 1) that the 2001 Assembly of the Saint Paul Area Synod direct the Saint Paul Area Synod Council to request the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Council to provide for installation of bishops and the ordination of pastors in the synod according to the “resolved’s” of the Saint Paul Area Synod resolution 01-07, 3C and 3E, and be it

RESOLVED, 2) that the 2001 Assembly of the Saint Paul Area Synod, in order to acknowledge the objection to the ordination of pastors and installation of bishops under the above rubric by some pre-seminarians, candidates for ordination and ordained ministers, requests that the ELCA Church Council honor the request of the ELCA Conference of Bishops by actively exploring possible changes in the ELCA governing documents that would allow ordinations to be conducted by bishops not in historic succession; and be it further

RESOLVED, 3) that the 2001 Assembly of the Saint Paul Area Synod memorialize the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to make the following constitutional and by-law changes: 

A.       To amend churchwide bylaw 10.31.a.9 by addition of the underlined text:

                              10.31.a.  As the synod’s pastor, the bishop shall:  …

                              9) Exercise solely this church’s power to ordain (or provide for the ordination by another synodical bishop or, provide for the ordination by another pastor of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly issued,  duly attested letter of call for the office of ordained ministry… (with remainder of this provision unchanged.)

B.       To amend churchwide constitution 7.31.13.f. by the addition of the underlined text:

7.31.13    Preparation and Approval.   Except as provided below,  a candidate for ordination as a pastor shall have:  ….

 

      f. been examined and approved by the appropriate committee according to criteria, policies and procedures established by the Division for Ministry, after consultation with the Conference of Bishops and adoption by the Church Council, which criteria, policies and procedures shall include standards for approval of those candidates for ordination who have a theological objection to ordination in the Historic Episcopate.  (The remainder of 7.31.13. shall remain unchanged.)

C.      To amend +S8.12.c in the Constitution for Synods by addition of the underlined text:

                  +S8.12.   As this synod’s pastor, the bishop shall:   …

                  c.  Exercise solely this church’s power to ordain (or provide for the ordination by another synodical bishop or, provide for the ordination by another pastor of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly issued,  duly attested letter of call for the office of ordained ministry…(with the remainder of the provision unchanged.)

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

                              10.81.01   The presiding bishop of this church,  or a bishop appointed by the presiding bishop of this church,  shall preside for the installation into office,  in accord with the policy and approved rite of this church,  of each newly elected synodical bishop.   In the event that a newly elected synodical bishop has a theological objection to installation in the Historic Episcopate,  said objection shall bee honored by the appointment of an appropriate bishop to preside for the newly elected bishop’s installation.

E.   To amend +S8.15. in the Constitution for Synods by addition of the underlined text:

+S8.15.   The presiding bishop of this church,  or the appointee of the presiding bishop,  shall install into office,  in accord with the policy and approved rite of this church,  each newly elected synodical bishop.   In the event that a newly elected synodical bishop has a theological objection to installation in the Historic Episcopate,  said objection shall be honored by the appointment of an appropriate bishop to preside for the newly elected bishop’s installation.

F.      To amend churchwide resolution 16.11.B95.c.1 by addition of the underlined text:

                  16.11.B95.   Division for Ministry

                  …. this division shall …

                  c.1) develop, in consultation with the Conference of Bishops, ecclesiastical standards for the admission of persons to and the continuation of persons on the roster of ordained ministers and associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal ministers, to include standards that allow for the ordination of persons who qualify for ordination except for their theological objection to ordination in the Historic Episcopate.