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From: Bob Sawyer [mailto:rsawyer@mcsp.org]
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2004 9:04 AM
To: Lee Sprinkle
Subject: Follow up letter
Greetings,
Brother Sprinkle,
Please
see my responses below. I apologize for the delay.
Greetings Rev. Sawyer,
I thought it would be appropriate to follow
up on a request for information I had asked for 4 to 6 weeks ago.
You stated in in the PEC letter:
The Moravian Church, Southern Province and
our Relationship with the Episcopal Church in the USA
"As a Moravian province we say to a sister denomination, "You
have taken an action contrary to our understanding and practice"
1st question : Was this statement
entered into record by a written statement by our Moravian delegation?
Is this statement available for us to include on our web site? www.Moravians.org
[Sawyer, Bob] The
statement has been given to our representatives. The group has not met
since we adopted the statement, but will present the statement at
the next meeting.
2nd question: You have noted that Synod had
directed the process to take place, that
formal talks between our denominations were authorized by our synod with
a full communion proposal seen as a possible outcome. What committee did
this Synod resolution come from and who brought it to the committee?
[Sawyer,
Bob] The resolution came through the Christian Unity and Ecumenical
Witness Committee. It was the result of conversations that began
between Episcopalians and Moravians in North Carolina and later were
expanded to representatives of the Moravian and Episcopal Churches in
the US.
3rd question or request: Do Moravians
have a written statement or understanding of what full communion would
mean to each of the Churches involved.
[Sawyer, Bob] Yes,
we do. I'll attach a copy.
If you are not able to reply to these
questions can you recommend who I would contact for this information.
Again thank you for your assistance in this
matter.
Brother in Christ
Lee Sprinkle
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Meaning of Full Communion For Moravians
(A working draft)
1. In pursuing full communion with another church, Moravians are
remaining faithful to Christ’s will for his church and to our
Moravian heritage:
a. on the night before he died, our Lord Jesus prayed in his
“High Priestly Prayer,” “that they may all be one; even as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee….so that the world may
believe that Thou hast sent me.”(John 17:20, 21);
b. in The Ground of the Unity, Section 6, “we believe
in and confess the unity of the Church, given in the one Lord
Jesus Christ as God and Savior. He died that He might unite the
scattered children of God…It is the Lord’s will that
Christendom should give evidence of and seek unity in Him with
zeal and love” And in Section 150 of the Church Order of the
Unitas Fratrum, “The Unitas Fratrum is committed to the
unity of the children of God as a reality created by God in Jesus
Christ.”
c. When we can remove any perceived barriers between ourselves
and another church, we live out our affirmations about Christ’s
Church.
2. When we mutually affirm a relationship of full communion with
another church:
a. We mutually recognize and respect each other as part of the
one holy, catholic and apostolic church which affirms its faith
through the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds of the church.
b. We mutually recognize each other’s practice of the
dominical sacraments, thus allowing for joint worship, eucharistic
fellowship, and exchangeability of members.
c. We recognize the validity of the ministerial orders of the
other church, allowing for the orderly interchange of
ordained ministers subject to the regulations of church order and
practice of each church.
d. We acknowledge our differences, recognizing the
autonomy of each church regarding structure, doctrine, liturgy,
and positions on social and ethical issues. At the same time,
being in full communion, we shall be open to the
encouragement and admonition of the other church for the
sake of the Gospel.
e. We recognize and value the distinctive gifts present in each
historic but separated part of the Body of Christ, thus believing
we have contributions which we can make to each other.
f. We will cooperate in common Christian mission through full
communion in faith, life, and witness.
28-Mar-02 glh v 2.0
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Following is from the Lutheran Church and offers some explinations of
what full communion means.
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Questions and Answers
related to full communion between the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America and the
Moravian Church in America
Copyright © 1998
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. |
A Study Guide for Congregations for use with
Following Our Shepherd to Full Communion:
Report of the Lutheran-Moravian Dialogue with Recommendations
for Full Communion in Worship, Fellowship and Mission
Introduction
The Moravian Church in
America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
are considering a relationship called full communion. (What
is "full communion"?) The Southern
Province of the Moravian Church approved the proposal to
enter this relationship on May 7, 1998, and the Northern
Povince will meet August 7-11, 1998, in Bethlehem, Pa., to
vote on it. The ELCA's Churchwide Assembly, its highest
decision-making body, plans to vote in August, 1999. Since
1992 Lutherans and Moravians in America have held official
dialogues among scholars representing their churches.
The report from those dialogues, Following Our Shepherd
to Full Communion, proposes full communion on the basis of a
common understanding of the Word of God as described in
Scripture. Entering into this relationship would mean that
Lutherans and Moravians confess a common faith and share the
sacraments. In other words, they would recognize each
other's baptisms and celebrations of the Lord's Supper.
Together they would make commitments to evangelism, witness,
and service; keep each other informed about steps they are
taking on issues of faith and life; listen to each other
when making decisions; and, when necessary for the mission
of the church, make ordained ministers available to serve in
each other's churches.
Following Our Shepherd describes Lutheran and Moravian
backgrounds, highlighting who the two communities are, what
they have in common, and where they differ. It is a guide
for mutual understanding, suggesting what Lutherans and
Moravians can do together for the sake of other Christians
and the world. It may be used for discussion before and
following the actions of the respective churches. By
studying the report together, Lutherans and Moravians may
discover more about each other as well as their faith in
Jesus Christ.
These questions and answers point to issues which may be
raised by persons in congregations and those preparing to
vote in the Moravian Provincial Synods and the ELCA's
Churchwide Assembly. An answer containing a number enclosed
in parenthesis, such as "(17)," refers to a page
in the printed version of Following Our Shepherd, which
provides a fuller response to the question. Persons having
further questions or wanting to make comments about
Following Our Shepherd are encouraged to contact:
The Rev. Dr.
Darlis Swan
Department for Ecumenical Affairs
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, Illinois 60631
1-800-638-3522, ext. 2613 |
The
Rev. Gary Harke
Moravian Church in America
P.O. Box 386
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin 53590
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The Lutheran-Moravian Coordinating
Committee:
| ELCA participants |
Moravian participants |
The Rev. Dr. Walter Wagner, co-chair
Allentown, Pennsylvania |
The Rev. Otto Dreydoppel, Jr.,co-chair
Nazareth, Pennsylvania |
The Rev. Dr. Ronald Rinn
Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
The Rev. Dr. C. Daniel Crews
Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
The Rev. Martha Sheaffer
Lititz, Pennsylvania |
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MORAVIANS MAY POSE
Question 1
The ELCA is much larger than the Moravian Church. Are we
merging with the ELCA? Will we "get swallowed" by
them?
Answer
Neither church body is being swallowed by or merging with
the other. Full communion is not a merger. Each church body
will continue to maintain its own polity, structure,
customs, practices, and whatever else gives it our
distinctive identity as members of the Body of Christ. Full
communion is a way of speaking and acting so that there are
no barriers to our fellowship in the Spirit and with one
another (6). We are saying we are sisters and brothers in
Christ, engaged in common service and witness.
Question 2
My congregation already practices "open
communion." What difference will full communion mean
for us?
Answer
Since Moravians already welcome members of other
Christian churches to the Lord's Supper, acknowledge
baptisms administered by other churches, and occasionally
call clergy ordained by others to minister in our
congregations, the impact of full communion with Lutherans
may seem minimal. Yet building an intentional and structured
relationship of cooperation and witness is an important step
for congregations and our denomination. We may discover ways
to engage jointly in mission and ministry. Lutheran and
Moravian devotional lives and theological reflections,
historically linked to each other, may be enriched even
further (17-24). By drawing closer to the ELCA and its
members, consulting and working with each other, we may
experience greater Christian collegiality as we move into
God's future for us (28-39).
Question 3
Are we just "patching up the past"? Why bother
with such proposals, agreements, and votes when we should
concentrate on proclaiming the Gospel?
Answer
Proclaiming the Gospel involves witnessing and seeking
unity in Christ. John 17:20-21 reminds us that unity is
God's gift in Jesus Christ. Entering into full communion is
a way to accept the gift. Moravians know that the Body of
Christ has many members, each essential to the wholeness of
the Body and its walk in the world. The past needs
"patching up." We are learning that the few times
of tension between Lutherans and Moravians were not over
essentials (9-15). It is time to recognize that we belong to
the one Shepherd and to follow our Lord.
Question 4
If the Moravians and the ELCA approve, when will full
communion begin?
Answer
The quick answer is that it begins when both
denominations vote to approve it (3). The Southern Province
of the Moravian Church approved the proposal on May 7, 1998,
and the Northern Povince will meet August 7-11, 1998, in
Bethlehem, Pa., to vote on it. The ELCA's Churchwide
Assembly, its highest decision-making body, plans to vote in
August, 1999. If approved by all parties involved, the
starting date is to be no later than June, 2000. Another
answer is to say that developing the report and our using it
to prepare for the formal votes have started a process of
thinking, sharing, and reaching out to each other in
Christian love which will make us increasingly receptive to
one another no matter how we may vote.
Question 5
Answer
One resolution authorizes the establishment of a
"joint commission." It will coordinate the
implementation of the resolutions, assist joint planning for
mission, and facilitate consultation and common
decision-making within the procedures of our churches. The
joint commission itself has no power. It is a forum for
communication and coordination. Actually, genuine
implementation of full communion depends on members in both
churches carrying on the work of Christ in partnership with
our brothers and sisters in the faith (3).
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
LUTHERANS MAY POSE
Question 1
Answer
The Moravians (officially the Unitas Fratrum or Unity of
the Brethren) may be seen as the oldest of the Reformation
churches. They trace their origins to the teachings and
influence of the Czech reformer, John Hus (1371-1415). Hus
was martyred, and Luther (1483-1546) was widely regarded as
the "German Hus." The Bohemian Brethren, as the
first members of the Unity were sometimes called, were in
dialogue with Luther and his colleagues. They shared many of
the same positions, including the 21 doctrinal articles of
the Augsburg Confession (9-11). Moravians also use portions
of the Small
Catechism in several services of worship. Moravians and
Lutherans always were and still are in close relationship in
Europe and Africa. In the United States we went separate
ways mostly because of frontier conditions (12-15). Today,
the worldwide Moravian Church numbers 740,000 persons. In
Canada and the United States there are 55,000 Moravians.
Many Moravians are concentrated in Northeastern
Pennsylvania, North Carolina and the Upper Mid-West.
Question 2
Lutherans say the unity of the Church is rooted in
agreement in the Gospel and the right administration of the
Sacraments (Augsburg Confession, article 7). Where do
Moravians stand on these matters?
Answer
The Moravian Church puts the same emphasis and holds the
same meanings for justification by faith through grace,
understandings of Law and Gospel, and the role of Scripture
as do Lutherans. They hold that there are two Sacraments
(Baptism and Communion). We agree in our understandings of
Baptism. Moravians agree with Lutherans on the Real Presence
of Christ in the Eucharist, although they may use different
terms to express their views (22-26).
Question 3
Answer
Yes. The priesthood of all believers is important to both
Moravians and Lutherans. We agree that all baptized members
of the Body of Christ are called to pray for one another,
proclaim through word and deed that Jesus is Lord, share the
reconciling message of forgiveness and grace in Christ, and
live so that we may bear the fruits of the Spirit. Moravians
and Lutherans ordain women and men to the ministry of Word
and Sacrament upon receipt of a call. Our
understandings of the pastoral office are the same.
Moravians have a three-fold ordained ministry. There is one
ordination and three offices: deacon, elder and bishop. An
ordained deacon in the Moravian Church is authorized to
serve as a pastor and administer the sacraments. The only
difference between a deacon and an elder is that the former
is usually a temporary status during which the person
develops further experience and spiritual maturity prior to
being consecrated an elder (38-40).
Question 4
Answer
Moravians have had bishops since the middle of the 15th
century. They do not understand the office of bishop as a
continual historical succession from one bishop to another
stretching back to the disciples. The office of bishop
represents the unity of the Church and the continuity of its
ministry. The emphasis is on the bishop as a friend in
Christ whose chief responsibility is to provide pastoral
care and counsel to pastors and the Church, and to assist
the Church in being faithful to Christ and the Gospel. A
Moravian bishop is not assigned to a specific geographical
location, has no role in personnel matters or the placement
of clergy, and is not an administrative officer. Often the
bishop is an older, experienced pastor. Bishops are elected
for life by pastoral and lay delegates at provincial
synods (meetings). While bishops ordain on behalf of the
whole Church, they cannot ordain anyone who is not approved
by the provincial process (40-42).
Question 5
Answer
The differences between our churches are largely in how
we show religious devotion, engage in theological
reflection, and organize ourselves. Both Lutherans and
Moravians share in the 18th century movement called
"Pietism." Indeed, Ludwig von Zinzendorf
(1700-1760), the renewer of the Moravian Church, was an
ordained Lutheran pastor. The Moravian Church has
consistently retained the heart-felt devotion of Pietism. As
a result, Moravians are more apt to think and speak in
devotional terms than in theological formulations. Their
patterns of worship, especially hymns and prayers, express
their theology more frequently than reliance on creeds. In
the area of theological reflection and witness Lutherans and
Moravians may learn from each other (11-12, 17-22).
Question 6
Answer
In 1742 Zinzendorf and Henry Melchior Muhlenberg
(1711-1787) confronted each other in Philadelphia. The
issues combined personal hostility, the leadership of
colonial Lutheran churches, relationships with other
Christians, and control of property. Lutherans often have
viewed the incident as distinguishing Lutherans from
Moravians. Moravians did not, and subsequently continued to
work closely with Lutherans. Instead of establishing
themselves as a separate denomination, Moravians then and
now dedicate themselves to being leaven in the various
Protestant churches, working toward the unity of the Body of
Christ (12-15).
Question 7
Answer
First, we will be responding to our Lord's will that
Christians join in closer community and cooperation for the
sake of mission in the world. Moravians and Lutherans bring
distinctive gifts to our calling to share the Gospel. We can
use this opportunity to make Christ known together through
common programs at the national and international levels.
Second, we will open ourselves to others with whom we are
already closely related by history and theology. ELCA
congregations located close to Moravian congregations can
experience the devotional life, worship traditions, musical
heritage, and dedication to discipleship of another
Christian tradition. ELCA congregations distant from
Moravian congregations will gain through synodical and
churchwide efforts to communicate the heritage, liturgical
approaches, and spiritual emphases which characterize the
Moravian Church.
Third, Lutherans can contribute to Moravians, sharing
their theological reflections and emphases as well as
liturgical practices. We will encourage Moravians to join us
in rural and urban ministries, social service agencies, and
educational programs. ELCA congregations throughout the
nation will welcome Moravians as members and participants.
Finally, both churches will be able to strengthen their
witness by cooperating in theological education, continuing
education of laity and clergy, and ecumenical endeavors.
Question 8
Answer
Question 9
If the Moravians and the ELCA approve, when will full
communion begin?
Answer
The quick answer is that it begins when both
denominations vote (3). Moravians anticipate voting at the
1998 synods of the Southern Province (May 6-9) and the
Northern Province (August 7-11). The ELCA will vote at its
Churchwide Assembly (August 16-22, 1999). If approved, the
starting date is to be no later than June, 2000. Another
answer is to say that developing the report and our using it
to prepare for the formal votes have started a process of
thinking, sharing, and reaching out to each other in
Christian love which will make us increasingly receptive to
one another no matter how we may vote.
Question 10
Answer
One resolution authorizes the establishment of a
"joint commission." It will coordinate the
implementation of the resolutions, assist joint planning for
mission, and facilitate consultation and common
decision-making within the procedures of our churches. The
joint commission itself has no power. It is a common meeting
ground for communication and coordination. Actually, genuine
implementation of full communion depends on the will of
members in both churches to carry on the work of Christ in
partnership with our brothers and sisters in the faith (3).
Visit the
Web site of The Moravian Church in America
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