June 15, 2010

CHICAGO – The ELCA welcomes dialogue with the Reformed Church in America (RCA) and a consultation involving church partners who are part of the 1997 Formula of Agreement, a full-communion relationship of the ELCA, RCA, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ, said the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. Delegates to the 2010 RCA General Synod requested the dialogue to discuss the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly actions on human sexuality and the consultation to discuss matters related to Scripture.

The RCA General Synod, the church's highest legislative authority, is meeting June 10-15 on the campus of Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa. McCoid and the Rev. Roger A. Willer, director for studies, ELCA Church in Society, attended the RCA meeting.

The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted a social statement on human sexuality and called for revisions to ELCA ministry policies, making it possible for eligible Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA clergy and professional lay leaders. The ELCA Church Council adopted final revisions to ELCA ministry policies in April.

The RCA General Synod adopted two resolutions. One directs the RCA Commission on Christian Unity to engage in a dialogue with ELCA representatives "in the spirit of ‘mutual affirmation and admonition' called for in the Formula of Agreement, in order to discuss and explore with them the recent social statement (Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust) adopted by the ELCA." The action called for expression of "the RCA's concern over the ELCA's action to allow the possibility of service in church office by persons in ‘publicly accountable lifelong monogamous, same-gender relationships.' The action asked for a progress report on the dialogue to the 2011 General Synod and a final report to the 2012 General Synod. The resolution was adopted 175-52.

A second resolution directs the RCA Commission on Christian Unity to invite the ELCA, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ and the Christian Reformed Church "to engage in a consultation on the interpretation and use of Scripture in moral discernment and ethical decision-making." The action asked for a report on the consultation's progress to the 2011 General Synod and a final report to the 2012 General Synod. Delegates voted 197-26 in favor of the resolution.

The resolutions were the result of proposals submitted by five RCA classes (similar to synods), McCoid said.

"In the committee meetings, it was the expressed intention to have a dialogue with the ELCA and other Formula of Agreement partners," McCoid said. "There was not any consideration to suspend or change the relationship of the RCA with the ELCA."

The actions of the RCA General Synod are "timely within the ELCA and with our ecumenical partners," McCoid said. "The Reformed Church in America is a very good full communion partner. We treasure the relationship that we have with the RCA and have a deep appreciation for its witness and ministry."

"The Formula of Agreement has been an important part of our ecumenical ministry," McCoid said. "Building on our mutual understanding, we pledged ourselves in the Formula of Agreement to living together under the gospel in such a way that the principle of mutual affirmation and admonition became the basis of a trusting relationship in which respect and love for the other will have a chance to grow."

Discussions in committee meetings and plenary were "collegial and supportive" on the two resolutions that were adopted, McCoid said.

"The (RCA) Christian Unity Commission is pleased that the spirit and vote of the General Synod was to honor the ‘full communion' that exists between the ELCA and the RCA," said the Rev. Douglas Fromm, RCA associate for ecumenical relations. "We look forward to the bilateral dialogue and a larger multi-lateral consultation on Scripture in relationship to moral and ethical decision-making."

The RCA consists of more than 900 congregations in the United States and Canada, with about 256,000 members. Denominational offices are in New York City and Grand Rapids, Mich.

Information about the 2010 RCA General Synod is at http://www.rca.org/, on the Web.

Information about ELCA full communion partners is at http://www.ELCA.org/ecumenical/fullcommunion/, on the Web.

ELCA News Service