Southeast Michigan Synod Assembly defeated the proposal of

Resolution A

RATIONALES

We seek genuine unity and full communion with Episcopalians and with all Christians, but we object as a core matter of Christian faith and Lutheran doctrine to the imposition and use of historic episcopal succession as a condition for unity when Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession says nothing can be made necessary for unity except the proclamation of the Gospel in its truth and purity.  In addition, CCM makes radical changes in the faith and practices of Lutheranism, including:

- changes in the one office of Ministry in the ELCA; changes in the meaning and practice of Ordination;

- changes in the role and authority of the priesthood of all believers;

- changes in the role of pastoral oversight (now the Office of Bishop);

- changes in the meaning of the Confessions (particularly Articles 7 and 14);

- changes in the interpretation of Scripture (e.g., John 17);

- changes in the understanding of what is adiaphora;

- changes in what Luther said and meant about historic episcopacy;

- changes in the meaning of apostolic succession;

- changes in the authority of God's Word alone (sola Scriptura);

- changes in the formula prayers for the Installation of Bishops;

- changes in the constitution of the ELCA that are wrong;

1     RESOLVED,

2     that all clergy and laity of the Southeast Michigan study and discuss in their

3     congregations all the issues equally, concerning the faith, theology and practices

4     contained in and related to the document "Called to Common Mission".

5    RESOLVED,

6     that the Southeast Michigan memorialize the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly

7     to vote to rescind the current document "Called to Common Mission," and admonish the

8     Presiding Bishop to appoint a new balanced commission to draft a new agreement with

9     the ECUSA that does not include adopting the historic episcopacy for or in the ELCA.

Respectfully Submitted,

Pastor William Sullivan

Pastor Harold D. Schlachtenhaufen

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION-RESOLUTION A

The committee recommends defeat of this resolution.

Rationales for Recommendation

The committee recognizes the deep concerns that many have over the Called to Common Mission agreement with the Episcopal Church-USA.  The committee also recognizes that our synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have wrestled with this agreement in the following ways:

1.      Approval of Called to Common Mission by about a 70/30 margin at the1999

         Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA.

2.      The adoption of a pro-CCM resolution and defeat of an anti-CCM Resolution at

         our 2000 Synod Assembly.

3.      The adoption of a resolution encouraging the study of CCM was adopted at the

         2001 Synod Assembly which stated "That all congregations of the Southeast

         Michigan Synod be admonished to carefully and thoroughly study the

         provisions and theology in CCM and study the theological issues related to

         adopting CCM."  Given the passage of this resolution the committee is not sure

         why we now need the first "Resolved" in the current resolution.  At the same

         assembly we then defeated a call to memorialize the ELCA to rescind CCM.

4.      At the 2001 Churchwide Assembly the ELCA approved a measure that

         allows candidates for ordination who as a matter on conscience object to the

         historic episcopate to request not to be ordained by a synodical bishop.

The above mentioned information is what gives the committee the feeling that we as synod and the entire ELCA have already dealt with Called to Common Mission adequately and that it is time to move forward.