April 18, 2011

CHICAGO – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asked the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to authorize it to establish a review process "of current procedures for the development and adoption of ELCA social statements." The proposal requests that the process be established after the assembly considers the recommended social statement, "Genetics, Faith and Responsibility."

The proposal calls for the council to consult with the ELCA Conference of Bishops and the Communal Discernment Task Force to establish the review process. The Rev. Steven P. Loy, council member, La Cruces, N.M., proposed the action, which the council took at its April 9-10 meeting here.

The council's request responded to a recommendation contained in the report of the "Living into the Future Together: Renewing the Ecology of the ELCA" Task Force. The task force, which began meeting in January 2010, studied social and economic changes that have taken place since the church was formed in 1988, evaluated the ELCA's structure and interrelationships, and prepared a report with recommendations for the 2011 Churchwide Assembly.

The task force report said the work of the Communal Discernment Task Force "seeks better ways to engage emotional and divisive issues, and make difficult decisions in this church by means that increase mutual trust, build respect for each other as the body of Christ and deepen spiritual discernment. The task force commends the spirit of communal discernment to the whole church."

The Rev. Diane "Dee" Pederson, St. Cloud, Minn., and chair of the Living into the Future Together Task Force, said members "wrestled" with the final wording of its conclusion about social statements. She said the task force identified the need for the review process and said it was a commitment to nurturing a larger "culture of discernment" that has been recommended by the task force.

In a related action, the council accepted the complete report of the Living into the Future Together Task Force, recognizing the input of ELCA members, congregations, synods and related agencies and institutions. It also "acknowledged with deep appreciation" the work of the task force.

The task force report lifts up a new reality for the ELCA, said the Rev. Gerald L. Mansholt, bishop of the ELCA Central States Synod, Kansas City, Kan. and a council liaison bishop. "Were inviting congregations and synods into deep discernment and prayer about being in mission," he said.

The task force learned a lot about the ELCA through research, interviews, forums, discussions with church leaders and soliciting feedback through a variety of communication channels, Pederson said. Among the learnings she said, are that members appreciate Lutheran theology; appreciate the relationships they have in their congregations and feel connected to the wider church through leaders; take pride in theological education; want strong clergy and leadership; care about justice and advocacy; and are committed to outreach and making disciples for Jesus Christ.

She also reported that research showed that people don't have a clear understanding of what it means to be Lutheran or members of the ELCA; many congregations have remained insulated from changing community demographics; and congregations have been affected by changes in the global economy.

After considerable discussion, the council did not complete its work on recommendations in the report to be considered by the assembly. The council referred the work of finalizing recommendations and implementing resolutions to a writing team consisting of staff from the churchwide organization, the council's Planning and Evaluation Committee and the task force. The council plans to meet by conference call in May to consider the proposed recommendations and implementing resolutions.

In separate actions, the council recommended that the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt the social statement on genetics and implementing resolutions related to it.

ELCA News Service