tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post3783927991502018155..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: Retiring bishop. . . Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-5213353419671964062021-06-11T08:48:54.093-05:002021-06-11T08:48:54.093-05:00The LCA is an Associate Member of the Internationa...The LCA is an Associate Member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) <b>and at the same time</b> a member of the Lutheran World Federation.Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-67163081024554803502021-06-11T08:47:01.051-05:002021-06-11T08:47:01.051-05:00In May 2021, the LCA (sometimes referred to as LCA...In May 2021, the LCA (sometimes referred to as LCA/NZ or LCANZ [including New Zealand]) General Church Board and College of Bishops released a <a href="https://lca.box.com/shared/static/2ivomlz1axzgh050k6zhdtgec3od3hyf.pdf" rel="nofollow">Joint Statement</a> proposing three actions for the July General Pastors Conference and the September General Convention of Synod: <br /><br />1. The GPC is a theological advisor to the Synod and is scheduled to meet in July 2021. The GCB is formally asking the GPC to provide advice in advance of the General Convention on the relevance of <a href="https://lca.box.net/shared/static/47fo39f7doy97f56jneo.pdf" rel="nofollow">Theses of Agreement</a> (TA) 1 Principles governing church fellowship to the ongoing discussion about the ordination of both men and women in the LCA, with specific attention to the intent of TA 1.4 and the applicability or inapplicability of the process outlined in TA 1.4.e to the current debate.<br />2. The Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations will work (with the CoB) on framing questions and providing background papers for the GPC on the applicability/inapplicability of TA 1.<br />3. The GCB and the CoB will work together to frame any questions and/or proposals on the ordination matter that might be useful for the 2021 General Convention and for the wellbeing of the church. <br /><br />The Joint Statement noted that an August 2020 Report, presented three scenarios for the future of the LCA[NZ]: <br /><br />Scenario one: a single LCANZ Synod – one teaching, two practices<br />Scenario two: a single LCANZ Synod – status quo (current teaching upheld)<br />Scenario three: multiple Lutheran Synods – we can no longer remain together. <br /><br />The Joint Statement also promoted: "Thirty years of debate tell us that somehow, for some reason, the sex of a pastor matters – one way or the other, depending on your view. But do we really know why it matters so much to us in the LCANZ and why for some of us, it seems to have become the proverbial line-in-the-sand, the issue of such gravity that it threatens to divide us?<br /><br />"God calls us in the midst of our marvellous, God-given diversity, telling us that we are united in Christ, each one of us part of his family, uniquely chosen, loved, reborn and redeemed by him. What does that unity as God’s dearly beloved children look like when we have such strongly differing understandings on the proper sex of a pastor?" <br /><br />The Joint Statement was signed by Pastor John Henderson, Churchwide Bishop and Dr. Nigel Long, Secretary of the Church, on behalf of the General Church Board. <br /><br />Despite having failed to get the 2/3rds approval requirement at the 2000, 2006, 2015, and 2018 LCA conventions, the ordination of women in the LCA will be on the agenda at the General Pastors Conference and the General Synod Conference in Sept. 2021.Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.com