November 17, 2006

CHICAGO – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asked for a report, recommendations and an expenditure plan for the proposed initiative, "Book of Faith: Lutherans Read the Bible." Details of the initiative are to be presented at the council's next meeting in April 2007, and the council is expected to transmit a proposal about the initiative to the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here Nov. 11-13. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11, 2007.

The council assigned direction of the initiative to the ELCA presiding bishop, with program implementation to be carried out by the ELCA Vocation and Education unit.

The anticipated five-year initiative grew out of a resolution from the ELCA North Carolina Synod, "Faithful Conversations about Scripture," which was adopted by the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

A planning group consisting of churchwide staff and seminary professors has been developing the proposal. "Throughout the last year, there has been an enthusiastic response across this church to the proposal, even before it was formally developed. People are convinced that the time has come for the ELCA to dig deeper into Scripture and into its own heritage of studying and using the Word of God," according to background information presented to the council.

"Book of Faith" is expected "to help ELCA members draw more fully on Lutheran understandings of the Word and the Bible," the background materials said.

A consultation to lay the foundation for the initiative is scheduled for Jan. 18-20, 2007, here at the churchwide office.

The planning group has suggested that some part-time staff may be needed to carry out the initiative, such as a director, communication and resource staff, and support staff. A series of working groups, to be formed for the January consultation, is expected to assist.

Council Hears about Human Sexuality Study Document, Endorses 2008 Health Plan

The study document, "Free in Christ to Serve the Neighbor: Lutherans Talk About Human Sexuality," will be released Dec. 4. Copies will be available in print or at http://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney/ on the ELCA Web site.

The study document is a significant part of the process leading to development of a social statement on human sexuality, due to be presented to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The study is designed to engage ELCA members in the process. Responses to the study materials are due Nov. 1, 2007.

"The core of the study is found in eight sessions devoted specifically to human sexuality and related topics. Participants are invited to engage in moral deliberation on those topics from the perspective of Paul's letter to the Galatians and Martin Luther's essay, ‘On the Freedom of a Christian,'" according to a description of the study materials.

Carlos Pena, Galveston, Texas, ELCA vice president and council chair, appointed Dr. Norma J. Hirsch, council member, Des Moines, Iowa, to succeed Judy Biffle as council advisor to the task force for the human sexuality study and social statement. Biffle, council member, Houston, will complete her term on the council in 2007.

In a separate action the council endorsed in principle a design for the 2008 ELCA Health Plan. John G. Kapanke, president of the ELCA Board of Pensions, reported to the council about the overall health of the ELCA's professional leaders and discussed the 2007 and 2008 health plans.

The 2008 plan will contain significant changes, Kapanke explained. It will be a comprehensive medical plan with higher deductibles, he said. All preventive services will be reimbursed at 100 percent with no maximum. In addition, plan members will have "wellness accounts" which will provide rewards for participation in activities such as an annual health risk assessment. The 2008 plan will also provide flexible spending accounts for all plan members, Kapanke said.

ELCA News Service