Facing ecumenical decisions of historic significance, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) voted "full communion" with three Reformed churches--but voted down a similar proposal with the Episcopal Church by only six votes.

After days of presentations, open hearings and floor debate, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote in Philadelphia on August 18 approved the new relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ by over 81 percent. The vote on the Concordat of Agreement with the Episcopal Church was 66.1 percent, just shy of the required two-thirds, 684 in favour and 351 opposed. While the implications of the split decision sank in, the assembly participants sang a listless version of "The Church's One Foundation," some embraced each other in tears of joy or frustration.

"The ecumenical opportunity of the century has been lost," said Prof. J. Robert Wright of New York's General Seminary, a principal author of the Concordat. "This was a chance to bridge the great divide in Christianity between the Reform and Catholic traditions."

In his statement, Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning pointed out that the Episcopal Church had "overwhelmingly" approved the Concordat at its General Convention in the same convention center a month earlier. "An opportunity was created--and I regret that we have missed it." Although he will encourage that the present relationship continue, he admitted that "a certain diminishment of enthusiasm will be inevitable as we pray that God will show each of us the way forward."

Historic episcopate draws strong reaction

Throughout the discussion and debate one provision of the Concordat drew the strongest opposition--a changed role for Lutheran bishops and their incorporation into historic episcopate.

Lutherans regard their ordained ministry as a single order which includes both pastors and bishops. Bishops are elected for six-year terms of oversight and then may return to the parish. Under the Concordat, they would be elected for life, even though they may continue to serve terms, and they would be "installed" by three bishops from each of the Churches. Speaker after speaker pointed out that the Augsburg Confession, the authoritative 16th century document of the Lutheran Reformation, says that agreement in Word and Sacrament is the only condition for unity. "The requirement of the Concordat is that we adopt the hierarchical system of episcopal structure as an additional condition for full communion, thus adding a condition for unity which we have never had before," argued Prof. Michael Rogness of the Luther Seminary in St. Paul.