What's the Problem?

By Rev. Dan Selbo

What could be so great a problem over the "historic episcopate," that it should prevent "full communion" with the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA)? By now you may know that the problem is this. The ECUSA requires that all bishops be ordained in an historic episcopate (H.E) through the laying on of hands and prayer. The understanding in the Anglican Church and its daughter ECUSA, is that bishops, through this process for ordination, can trace a special grace, back to St. Peter-not available to pastors and lay persons-and so be passed on through subsequent bishops who have been ordained in this H.E. succession, all the way down to the present. Bishops ordained in the historic episcopacy, according to the ECUSA, receive the divinely given authority to ordain pastors for the church. The pastors, as a result of their ordination, then receive the authority of God and the Church to alone preside at the Sacrament of Holy Communion and to "confect it," i.e., make the sacrament happen .

The Reformation's Church Martin Luther and the Reformers said that the authority and the purpose of the Church are to proclaim the Word and properly to administer the Sacraments. When that happens, they stated, the Church is present. The H.E. was dropped because it was not necessary or essential for the unity of the Church. The Word alone defines the presence of the Church.

Article VII of the Lutheran Church's principal statement of faith, the Augsburg Confession, states "The church is the assembly of saints, in which the Gospel is taught purely and the. sacraments rightly administered. For the true unity of the church it is enough to agree concerning the teaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. It is not necessary that human traditions or rites and ceremonies, instituted by men, should be alike everywhere. "
As a result of the Denver vote, ELCA Lutherans are now required to adopt the practice of the Historic Episcopate, even though its requirement is in direct contradiction to what the Lutheran Confessions teach-and the Lutheran Church has believed since its inception.

What's Been Happening? The decision to surrender to the Episcopal Church's demand by adopting the document "Called to Common Mission" (CCM). in which the historic episcopacy is made mandatory for full communion with ECUSA, was passed at the Denver Assembly. This attempt to bring about greater unity in the church has served instead to drive a doctrinal wedge between Lutheran Christians in the ELCA. The Lutheran witness of Word-Alone, Faith-Alone, Grace-Alone, Christ-Alone, is now being challenged, if not compromised, in the CCM.

During the fall, regional gatherings took place across the country. Under the name of "Word Alone," pastors and lay persons came together to share concerns and to discuss implications of the Denver vote. United by a love for the church and a desire to continue the Lutheran witness in this country without compromise, the gatherings shared their concerns and resolved to walk together with other ELCA members and churches to encourage faithfulness to the Lutheran confessional WordAlone position. The regionals resulted in a national gathering on November 15 & 16 at Roseville Lutheran Church, in Roseville, Minnesota

The Roseville Story
Nearly 300 persons were present, representing 22 States. Roseville included pastors, lay members, seminary professors, theologians and prominent church leaders. The purpose was again to share concerns, discuss implications and explore possibilities for the future.

Dr. Meg Madson was the first presenter. She spoke about the one thing needful for salvation, namely, Jesus Christ. It is Christ who makes us one; it is Christ who has redeemed us from our sin; it is Christ who makes possible and real our salvation. Jesus is the one thing needful for all Christians.

Every denomination has its own teachings however, and "official teachings matter," Dr. Madson said. "Every church has a genetic code, a kind of DNA, that determines its official teaching." For the Catholics it's the papacy; for Episcopalians the historic episcopate; for Baptists, a personal decision for Christ But every time any denomination's DNA requires more than the Word alone, the gospel is subverted and salvation is uncertain, Madson insisted. "Whenever the Word alone is not enough, we are thrown back on ourselves."

Madson went on, "The certainty of salvation (that comes from the Word alone) is not a Lutheran luxury. It is intrinsic to the gospel. To lose the certainty of our salvation is to lose the freedom of the gospel. Where the Word alone is enough, we are free-free from sin and death, free from religiosity, free to let God be God, and free to be truly ourselves."
She challenged the delegates not to lose sight of our "Lutheran DNA." She warned that many will underestimate the importance of the adoption of the CCM with the Episcopal Church, believing it can be practiced in the ELCA without harming the Lutheran faith. "Who would deny," she asked, ''that If you practice what you do not believe in, you will be corrupted over time?"

Governor AI Quie
A powerful presentation by former Minnesota Governor AI Quie lifted up four basic truths:
1. The ELCA has voted to mandate the historic episcopate in its practices.
2. Many Lutheran Christians do not believe in the historic episcopate.
3. It takes courage to stand in opposition to authority.
4. If a person does what he doesn't believe, it corrupts his soul.

Governor Quie challenged the gathering to be clear about what they believe and to stay faithful to it. "If you do what you don't believe in," he said, "you have forfeited your right to lead. If you do what you don't believe in, something is lost within."

Several presentations were made by articulate pastors and laity. These included an address by The Rev. Father Sam Pascoe, an Episcopal priest from north Florida. He gave a stunning address for more than an hour on the direction he saw the Episcopal church going, and then outlined the perils awaiting the ELCA for its cozying up to the Episcopal church.

What's Being Done?
The gathering was Spirit-filled and led. It was apparent from the opening devotions to the closing worship that the concern of the group was not the single issue of the adopted proposed CCM with the ECUSA, but the deeper and far reaching implications of our having compromised the Lutheran commitment to the Word alone.

The Roseville gathering had no official status or authority. It was not an official meeting of any kind. It was, rather, a group of pastors and laity concerned about the direction and decisions of the ELCA. They came to share these concerns and explore possibilities forthe future. In that sense, nothing official took place in Roseville. It was a grass roots movement Its impact if any, is yet to be seen.

A number of clear decisions were made, however. They resulted in certain clear steps being taken. First, they created an informal umbrella organization which will allow pastors and lay persons who share the concerns regarding the agreement with the ECUSA, to act in a responsible manner with others who share the same doubts.

Second, the gathering elected an interim leader to help facilitate a coordinated response to the concerns expressed, and to explore possible courses of action. Chosen as the interim leader of the Word-Alone-Network was Pastor Roger Eigenfeld. He currently serves the imposing St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota.

What's The Problem?
Third, the participants chose to put together a list of persons from which a steering committee would then be formed This committee is now in place and is being directed by Pastor Eigenfeld and Vice-president, Governor Quie.

Regional and National Meeting Determined
The purpose of the Steering Committee is three-fold. (1) To compile the concerns shared by those at Roseville and to make recommendations on how best to begin addressing them. (2) To offer information from the Roseville gathering and recommendations from the Steering Committee, to those interested in a second round of regional gatherings. These will take place across the country in January and February . (3) To compile results from the regional gatherings and make further recommendations to a second national meeting, scheduled for March 26-29, 2000. It will convene at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115 (a northern suburb of St. Paul). Its purpose will be to act on the results of the regional gatherings and the recommendations of the Steering Committee.

What Needs to Happen.
Without question, the greatest single need forthe future of the Word Alone grassroots movement is prayer. We need to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit that the decisions and directions set from here on will be consistent with the will of God. We need to pray for Pastor Eigenfeld and for the members of the Steering Committee. We need to pray that they would have the wisdom and the ?courage to make the decisions and set a direction that will bear fruit for the Kingdom. Pastor Eigenfeld has already met with ELCA Bishop H George Anderson. We need to pray for the ELCA and the Word Alone leaders, that they would see clearly the will of God, and be able to share concerns without compromising beliefs.
In order for us to pray together, we need also to expand the base of support for and knowledge of the WordAlone Network. We need to get the word out, both to pastors and to lay members, sharing what's been happening and how others might become involved. God works effectively through people of faith. But if people are not informed, it can block the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to tell others about the Word Alone movement and why it is that such a movement even exists.

If the base of support is to grow, we need to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we work to share information with as many people as possible. We also can help support this movement by sending financial gifts. St Andrew's church has set up a special account in which money can be given, ?allowing for contributions to be tax deductible. The Steering Committee is planning a number of mailings, some of which will be sent to every ELCA pastor and congregation. For this, along with other steps to be taken, financial support is needed

As one who attended the gathering in Roseville, I share many of the same concerns as those who came together there. I also share the love for Christ's Church which was deeply evident among those present. I am committed to the Word alone, as the basis for our unity in the Church, and thus, I believe, this movement has the blessing of God. I hope you'll join me in praying for the Church, sharing with those you know, and doing what you can to support the Word Alone position. After all, it's the DNA of the Lutheran Church, it's where we find the promises of God, and it points us to the one thing needful for our salvation, Jesus Christ.

*Dan Selbo pastors St. Timothy Lutheran Church, San Jose, CA, and is the Treasurer of the FELLOWSHIP OF CONFESSIONAL LUTHERANS (FOCl). He was the official representative of FOCL to the Roseville gathering.