Since 1977, Evangelical Lutherans and United Methodists have moved towards becoming a unifying body of Christ through shared gospel and Christian sacraments. Lutherans declared "It's about time!" that the two denominations forge their relationship and released a statement – "Confessing Our Faith Together: A Statement toward Full Communion by the ELCA-UMC Bilateral Dialogue" – for review.
The draft encourages congregations of both traditions to assess the possibility of living into full communion, said Dr. Michael R. Trice, associate director of the ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, according to the ELCA News Service.
In August 2005, the two traditions took the intermediate step before full communion with the approval of the Interim Eucharistic Sharing. It states that in a continuing dialogue, "the time has come for our churches to deepen our knowledge of one another, honor and extend our currently shared mission, and share in a new relationship of worship and ministry through an agreement of Interim Eucharistic Sharing."
Now, three months later, ELCA and UMC are discussing the possibility of full communion.
"The two communions are considering the implications of full communion for national and regional expressions of the church," said a statement in the draft.
A full communion would involve: a common confessing of the Christian faith; a mutual recognition of Baptism and a sharing of the Lord's Supper, allowing for joint worship and an exchangeability of members; a mutual recognition and availability of ordained ministers to the service of all members of churches in full communion, subject only but always to the disciplinary regulations of the other churches; a common commitment to evangelism, witness, and service; a means of common decision making on critical common issues of faith and life; and a mutual lifting of any condemnations that may exist between churches.
The two congregations agreed to meet for five sessions and have a response filled out by Jan. 15, 2007.
"Confessing Our Faith Together" was drafted to "articulate the high level of convergence we experienced around the Triune God, our authoritative documents, salvation by grace through faith, the sacraments, the Church and its ministries, and the world and our common mission," as participants found much in common between the two church denominations.
For the complete draft text, visit elca/umcdraft
Audrey Barrick
Christian Today Correspondent