Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 28, 1992 TAG: 9203270364
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GEORGE W. CORNELL ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
The move would link their religious functioning but not their institutional structures.
It would mean recognizing each other's ministry and members, withdrawing past condemnations, sharing in the Lord's Supper and providing for exchange of ministers and for channels of joint consultation and decision-making.
The denominations are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ and the Reformed Church in America.
They have a combined total of about 10 million members.
"On the basis of our theological discussions we can name no `church-dividing differences' that should preclude the declaration of full fellowship between these churches," said a report drawn up by a joint theological team of the four denominations.
"We affirm that the basic conditions for full communion have been met."
The 23,000-word report, titled, "A Common Calling, the Witness of our Reformation Churches in North America Today," finds solutions to past theological differences over the Lord's Supper and concepts of "predestination."
The report, drawn up in three years of talks, recommends that the denominations' next governing conventions take action for establishing communion between them.
The Rev. Keith Nickle, dean of Presbyterianism's Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the Reformed co-chairman of the new talks, said they built on three earlier rounds of Lutheran-Reformed talks, going back to 1962, and principles for fellowship worked out between Lutheran and Reformed churches in Europe in the "Leuenberg Agreement" of 1973.
The Rev. Timothy Lull, academic dean of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Lutheran co-chair, said the two traditions in the past have insisted that full fellowship requires agreement on everything.
The report "tries to change the dynamics . . . to `because we have so much in common, therefore we can have full communion now,' " he said.
The Lutheran church arose in the 16th century from the teachings of Martin Luther. Reformed churches germinated in the same period, influenced by John Calvin and others. The churches, divided mainly over understanding of the Lord's Supper, each condemned the other.
Although both recognized Christ's presence in Holy Communion, Lutherans saw a somehow corporeal presence "in, with and under" the wine and bread, while Reformed believers emphasized his spiritual presence in the elements.
"One could say that the dispute was not so much about the reality of God's presence in the supper as about the `mode' of this presence," the report said.
The report suggested the churches share the view that the goal of that holy meal is "to call the people of God to the table at which Christ himself is present to give himself for us under the same word of forgiveness, empowerment and promise."
It said past differences are "inclusive of each other, and not exclusive, each of them necessary."
On the once controversial doctrine of predestination, the report said the Reformed view that an all-knowing God saw people destined either to accept or reject him has "been consistently de-emphasized in recent times."
"Rather than being divided over the doctrine, both sides seem to be united in an equally lukewarm endorsement of an equal embarrassment over any form of predestinarian teaching as part of their theological commitment," it said.
by CNB