Today is Ecumenical Day at General Conference, a day in which we celebrate the UMC’s dialogue and partnership with other Christian denominations. It’s a particularly special Ecumenical Day this year, as yesterday the General Conference overwhelmingly approved full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).
Full communion, in Western ecclesiology, means that the denominations mutually recognize that they share essentially the same doctrine and beliefs while still maintaining their distinct, denominational identities. The UMC is currently in full communion with the pan-Methodist churches - African Methodist Episcopal Church, AME Zion Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopa. So the ELCA is the first non-pan-Methodist church that will be in full communion.
The Lutherans will vote on the measure for full communion at their denomination’s legislative gathering next year.
What are your thoughts about this historic decision?
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April 29, 2008 at 11:02 am
Carolyn
Hurray! I was raised ELCA Lutheran, and while I don’t call myself one anymore, I think this is way cool! I’m glad that we can get some inter-denominational dialogue going.
April 29, 2008 at 8:10 pm
greg
i hope its a model for future communions…
April 30, 2008 at 10:10 am
Carolyn C.
I think it’s a great thing for bringing the Church (in the world-wide sense of the term) together, and I hope this model continues to expand.