The Bridge in Plain Text
Issue To Be Used Any Time After
August 1, 2007
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The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The ELCA and Ecumenism: What is Full
Communion?
From ‘Characteristics of Full Communion’ (www.elca.org/ecumenical/fullcommunion/characteristics.html)
For the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
the characteristics of full communion are theological and missiological
implications of the Gospel that allow variety and flexibility. These
characteristics stress that the church act ecumenically for the sake of the
world, not for itself alone. They will include at least the following, some
of which exist at earlier stages:
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a common confessing of the
Christian faith; a mutual recognition of Baptism and a sharing of the Lord's
Supper, allowing for joint worship and an exchangeability of members;
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a mutual recognition and
availability of ordained ministers to the service of all members of churches
in full communion, subject only but always to the disciplinary regulations
of other churches;
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a common commitment to
evangelism, witness, and service;
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a means of common decision
making on critical common issues of faith and life;
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a mutual lifting of any
condemnations that exist between churches. We hold this definition and
description of full communion to be consistent with Article VII of the
Augsburg Confession, which says, "For the true unity of the church it is
enough to agree concerning the teaching of the Gospel and the administration
of the Sacraments." Agreement in the Gospel can be reached and stated
without adopting Lutheran confessional formulations as such. It allows for
flexible, situation-oriented decisions about order and decision making
structures. It does not demand organic union, though it does not rule it
out. This definition is also in agreement with the understanding of unity
adopted by the Seventh Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in 1984,
"The Unity We Seek" (quoted under the Lutheran World Federation section of
this statement).
The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America seeks to be faithful to its scriptural and confessional
foundations. As a confessional church that is evangelical, catholic and
ecumenical, this church will pursue the goal of full communion and will
rejoice in all movement toward that goal.
Featured Resources
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The ELCA currently is in full
communion partnership with the Moravian Church, the Episcopal Church, the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America , and the
United Church of Christ . Get more information on these churches at
www.elca.org/ecumenical/fullcommunion/
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More from the ELCA on
ecumenical relations:
www.elca.org/ecumenical/
Monthly Bible Verse
This Bible verse was selected by Harold Usgaard, bishop of the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in the synod to study.
“Come, let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us
his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” Isaiah
2:3
About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized
people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes
15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.
The Bridge is a monthly
publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information,
contact the synod office:
Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org
This issue is designed to be
used any time after August 1, 2007.
Graphics from this issue
Right-click the link and choose "save to disk" to save the
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are in high-resolution tiff format. If you require another format, please
call 507-280-9457.
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