The first of at least three two-day meetings between representatives of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has been set for June 14-15 in Chicago.
LCMS President A.L. Barry and ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson each have appointed a 10-member panel to take part in the discussions. The purpose of the talks, Barry has said, is "openly to share concerns with one another and to discuss the very serious doctrinal issues that divide our two church bodies."
Barry and Anderson will be members of their respective church bodies' discussion teams.
The LCMS team also will include First Vice President Robert Kuhn, Secretary Raymond Hartwig and Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger, executive director of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations.
Barry appointed four seminary faculty to the talks: Dr. Ronald Feuerhahn and Dr. James Voelz from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Dr. William Weinrich and Prof. Kurt Marquart from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. Also named by Barry are Dr. Carl Fickenscher, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Garland, Texas, and Rev. Harold Senkbeil, pastor of Elm Grove Lutheran Church, Elm Grove, Wis.
Representing the ELCA in addition to Bishop Anderson will be ELCA Secretary Lowell Almen; Rev. Phyllis B. Anderson, director of the Institute for Ecumenical and Theological Studies at the School of Theology and Ministry, Seattle University; Bishop Guy Edmiston of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, Harrisburg, Pa.; and David Hardy of Palatine, Ill., former general counsel of the ELCA.
Also Edith Lohr, director of Lutheran Social Services of New England, Natick, Mass.; Rev. Patricia Lull, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Athens, Ohio; Bishop Stanley Olson, Southwestern Minnesota Synod, Redwood Falls, Minn.; Dr. H. Frederick Reisz, president of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.; and Dr. Paul J. Seastrand, pastor of First English Lutheran Church, Billings, Mont.
The second round of talks will be held in St. Louis. No date has been set.