Whereas, dialogues sponsored by the Lutheran World Federation and the World Methodist Council culminated in 1984 in the common statement "The Church: Community of Grace," which recommended "that our churches take steps to declare and establish full fellowship of Word and Sacrament"; and
Whereas, this common statement was accepted by the World Methodist Council at its meeting in Nairobi in 1986; and
Whereas, full fellowship of Word and Sacrament has now been established between Lutherans and Methodists in West Germany (1987), East Germany (1990), Austria (1991), and Sweden (1993); and
Whereas, a series of dialogues between The United Methodist Church and the member churches of the Lutheran Council in the USA held between 1977 and 1979 culminated in the common statement "A Lutheran-United Methodist Statement on Baptism"; and
Whereas, the Germany United Methodist Central Conference has voted to become a member of the "Leuenberger Konkordie" (1995), which is a fellowship of 80 Lutheran and Reformed judicatories that accept each other's faith and order; and
Whereas, The United Methodist Church believes that Christ wills for the church to be visibly one; and
Whereas, throughout the church of Jesus Christ significant ecumenical proposals continue to emerge that envision the achievement of visible unity through a series of covenants and concordats that unite our memberships, ministries, observances of the sacraments, and mission rather than merge our structures; and
Whereas, The United Methodist Church Preamble to the Constitution recognizes that "The Church of Jesus Christ exists in and for the world, and its very dividedness is a hindrance to its mission in that world"; and
Whereas, United Methodists have diligently participated in the development of the common statements between Lutherans and Methodists as a way of reducing the dividedness among Christians;
Therefore, be it resolved, that The United Methodist Church formally acknowledge the work performed in the two series of dialogues between The United Methodist Church and the member churches of the Lutheran Council in the USA and recognize the common statements culminating from those dialogues as official statements of The United Methodist Church on baptism and episcopacy; and
Be it further resolved, that the General Conference direct:
1. The Council of Bishops and the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns to initiate a third and final round of dialogue between The United Methodist Church and interested member churches of the former Lutheran Council in the USA with the explicit goals of:
a) identifying and achieving consensus on remaining dialogical tasks and topics necessary to bring the churches into full communion (altar and pulpit fellowship), including, but not limited to:
i. recognition and interchangeability of ministers and members;
ii. joint consecrations of future bishops; and
iii. the establishment of organs for consultation and communication to express and strengthen fellowship and to enable common witness, life, and service;
b) preparing a Concordat of Agreement declaring and establishing full fellowship of word, sacrament, and order between The United Methodist Church and the applicable member churches of the former Lutheran Council in the USA for submission to:
i. the General Conference of The United Methodist Church in the year of our Lord 2000; and
ii. the next scheduled meeting(s) of the governing body(ies) of the applicable member churches of the former Lutheran Council in the USA;
for approval and the initiation of the appropriate legislative, canonical, constitutional, and liturgical actions necessary to realize the unity Christ wills for the church.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 22808-IC-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference