Overshadowed by the ELCA decision to allow gay clergy in committed relationships, the full communion agreement with the United Methodist Church would normally have drawn greater attention. Here is my original post on this ELCA convention 2009 action on the full communion agreement.
The blog of the Independent Methodist weekly newspaper, United Methodist Reporter, offered an initial report of the agreement with mixed comments.
Perhaps the most significant practical aspect of a full communion agreement is the possibility of shared clergy. Now that the ELCA has opened the door for rostered clergy in “publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships”, could such persons be called by a Methodist congregation contrary to UMC ministry standards? The answer is no, according to the United Methodist Church website:
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s acceptance of pastors in same-sex relationships does not pave the way for noncelibate gay clergy to serve in United Methodist churches, officials from the two denominations said.
The Lutheran vote Aug. 21 to drop its ban on gay clergy, coming a day after the denomination approved a full communion pact including the sharing of clergy with The United Methodist Church, raised the question of whether practicing homosexual Lutheran pastors would be permitted in United Methodist pulpits.
Leaders from both churches said Aug. 26, however, that The United Methodist Church’s ban on noncelibate gay clergy is unchanged.
Palmer speaks at a press conference.“Our Book of Discipline on that subject did not become null and void when they took that vote," said Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops. "It still applies to United Methodist clergy."
He said there is an expectation that the church’s stance "would need to be respected" by clergy appointed to serve United Methodist churches.
On the Lutheran side, Michael Trice, associate executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said the full communion agreement on Aug. 20 “did not compromise” United Methodist ministerial standards.
If clergy in “same-gendered, long-term relationships in the ELCA … want to serve in a United Methodist Church, The United Methodist Church can say we are sorry but that does not fit our protocols," Trice said.
#CWA09 & #Goodsoil09
It is my hope and prayer that the relationship between the UMC and the ELCA may serve as the model for a new hoped for relationship between the ELCA and the Roman Catholic Church, in that, just as the ELCA standards for clergy apply to ELCA congregations, BUT when there is a blessed coincidence of a UMC bishop and congregation who wishes to call an ELCA pastor, and declares that there is no impediment, and thus all parties are satisfied, SO ALSO someday a RC bishop can call an ELCA pastor to serve a call to a RC parish, and vice versa, an ELCA bishop and congregation can call a RC priest to serve a call in an ELCA congregation.
I truly believe that the ELCA-UMC agreement, and all of the other ecclesial agreements the ELCA has, are the cutting edge for the genuine ecumenical catholic church that is being formed in the 21st century. This is where it is happening!
This sort of thing is the American equivalent of the Porvoo Agreement that has been in effect for the past 20+ years in Northern Europe.
Who knows, maybe your next book will be “A future look into the form of the Western Catholic Church in the 21st Century!”
Keith,
That’s an ambitious hope.
Twenty years ago at a conference, a speaker suggested that the 21st century would see an emerging American Catholic Church, respectful of Rome but independent, that would include mainline protestants, at least in some sort of loose confederation. Whether the Roman retreat from Vatican II of the past generation will hasten or hinder American ecumenism remains to be seen. I note that the leading American progressive Catholic organizations such as Call to Action have a national get together scheduled down the road a year or two to discuss the future of American Catholicism. That will be fascinating to watch whether it is a whimper or a tidal wave.