WordAlone
Encyclopedia
WordAlone is a Lutheran grassroots network of congregations and individuals within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States
. According to its website, WordAlone advocates reform and renewal of the church, representative governance, theological integrity, and freedom from a mandated historic episcopate. The group is generally considered theologically and socially conservative
. As of 2005, approximately 215 congregations have officially joined the organization.
More recently, WordAlone has turned its attention to the issue of sexuality in the church. The ELCA has officially welcomed homosexuals within its congregations since 1991, but it has struggled in recent years over whether non-celibate homosexuals in stable relationships should be ordained as ministers
and whether ministers should be permitted to bless same-sex partnerships. Groups such as Lutherans Concerned/North America
are presently advocating for such ordinations and blessings. Groups such as WordAlone advocate a traditional understanding of marriage, sexuality and sexual orientation.
Perhaps more controversially, WordAlone also started a body called Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ
(LCMC) which is now legally and organizationally separate from WordAlone though there is some cooperation between the two. LCMC provides organizational resources for congregations that are dissatisfied with the ELCA leadership. Churches that join may either remain members of the ELCA or other Lutheran denominations or may sever such ties and claim the LCMC as their only denominational affiliation. The LCMC describes itself as a "centrist" Lutheran organization and supports the ordination of women
. This sets the LCMC apart the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
, the two major confessionalist Lutheran bodies in the U.S. In keeping with its emphasis on congregational authority, the LCMC rarely makes statements on social or theological issues, although it has issued an "admonition" that sexual activity take place "only within the boundaries of marriage between one man and one woman."
of Agreement with the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA). The changes would have required that new pastor
s be ordained only by bishop
s, reflecting the ECUSA's understanding of apostolic succession
, as a pre-condition to the sharing of ministers between the two church bodies. Citing Article Seven of the Augsburg Confession
, which declares it unnecessary "that human traditions, rites, or ceremonies instituted by human beings be alike everywhere," the individuals who would later form the WordAlone Network argued that the restrictions on ordination ran counter to traditional Lutheran understandings of the ministry. Some of the animus against ECUSA derived in part from the general dominance of theological liberalism
within Anglicanism
, abhorrent to many who consider the Augsburg Confession and the other writings in the Book of Concord
to be definitive of proper Christian belief and practice.
They met at a conference in Mahtomedi, Minnesota
, and offered an alternative proposal in March 1997. Passage of the Concordat would have required a two-third supermajority of over 1000 "voting members" of the assembly. Due to the efforts of opponents, the Concordat of Agreement was defeated at the ELCA's churchwide assembly in August 1997 by only six votes.
In preparation for the 1999 churchwide assembly, the ELCA and ECUSA had developed a new version of the proposed fellowship agreement, this time dubbed Called to Common Mission
. While the document claimed to address Lutheran concerns, it was sufficiently similar that the ECUSA declared that its original vote in favor of the Concordat would count as the first of two required votes at successive general conventions to affirm Called to Common Mission. In spite of an organized effort, Called to Common Mission passed by 27 votes in the churchwide assembly.
Up to this time, WordAlone had been almost exclusively a grassroots movement working through a website and a listserve. The individual leaders then called for "WordAlone Regional Meetings" around the country to meet and send delegates to a national meeting in November in Roseville, Minnesota
. The assembled delegates voted to meet again to form the WordAlone Network in March 2000, and the organization has been active since.
In a small concession to WordAlone supporters, the ELCA assembly in 2001 did enact an amendment to church bylaws to allow for pastors, rather than bishops, to preside at ordinations in "unusual circumstances," a method that has been used 17 times as of 2005. WordAlone has viewed these "unusual" ordinations as small victories, although they have provoked irritation from some in the ECUSA who see the practice as reflecting a lack of commitment to the Called to Common Mission agreement.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
(ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to its website, WordAlone advocates reform and renewal of the church, representative governance, theological integrity, and freedom from a mandated historic episcopate. The group is generally considered theologically and socially conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
. As of 2005, approximately 215 congregations have officially joined the organization.
Reform efforts
Among other campaigns, WordAlone seeks to pare back what it sees as a top-heavy administrative structure in the ELCA, returning much authority to congregations and freeing up funds for more aggressive mission work. This is in general keeping with conservative "renewal" movements in other mainline denominations, reflecting an anti-bureaucratic posture against what it believes to be the source of errant teaching and ethics.More recently, WordAlone has turned its attention to the issue of sexuality in the church. The ELCA has officially welcomed homosexuals within its congregations since 1991, but it has struggled in recent years over whether non-celibate homosexuals in stable relationships should be ordained as ministers
Ordination of LGBT Christian clergy
The ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender clergy who are open about their sexuality, are sexually active, or are in committed same-sex relationships is a debated practice within some contemporary Christian Church communities....
and whether ministers should be permitted to bless same-sex partnerships. Groups such as Lutherans Concerned/North America
Lutherans Concerned/North America
Lutherans Concerned/North America is an organization of laypeople, pastors, and congregations that are primarily from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada who are working for the full acceptance and inclusion of people of all sexual orientations...
are presently advocating for such ordinations and blessings. Groups such as WordAlone advocate a traditional understanding of marriage, sexuality and sexual orientation.
Perhaps more controversially, WordAlone also started a body called Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ is an association of Lutheran congregations in the United States. It began in 2000 in response to the liberalization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . LCMC is characterized by the traditional stances it takes on Lutheran polity, biblical...
(LCMC) which is now legally and organizationally separate from WordAlone though there is some cooperation between the two. LCMC provides organizational resources for congregations that are dissatisfied with the ELCA leadership. Churches that join may either remain members of the ELCA or other Lutheran denominations or may sever such ties and claim the LCMC as their only denominational affiliation. The LCMC describes itself as a "centrist" Lutheran organization and supports the ordination of women
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
. This sets the LCMC apart the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
, the two major confessionalist Lutheran bodies in the U.S. In keeping with its emphasis on congregational authority, the LCMC rarely makes statements on social or theological issues, although it has issued an "admonition" that sexual activity take place "only within the boundaries of marriage between one man and one woman."
History
The group began as an electronic-mail discussion group in 1996. Its members coalesced in opposition to changes in ELCA ordination practices that were required as part of the proposed ConcordatConcordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
of Agreement with the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA). The changes would have required that new pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
s be ordained only by bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s, reflecting the ECUSA's understanding of apostolic succession
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
, as a pre-condition to the sharing of ministers between the two church bodies. Citing Article Seven of the Augsburg Confession
Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation...
, which declares it unnecessary "that human traditions, rites, or ceremonies instituted by human beings be alike everywhere," the individuals who would later form the WordAlone Network argued that the restrictions on ordination ran counter to traditional Lutheran understandings of the ministry. Some of the animus against ECUSA derived in part from the general dominance of theological liberalism
Liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
within Anglicanism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
, abhorrent to many who consider the Augsburg Confession and the other writings in the Book of Concord
Book of Concord
The Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
to be definitive of proper Christian belief and practice.
They met at a conference in Mahtomedi, Minnesota
Mahtomedi, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,563 people, 2,503 households, and 2,027 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,095.4 people per square mile . There were 2,581 housing units at an average density of 715.1 per square mile...
, and offered an alternative proposal in March 1997. Passage of the Concordat would have required a two-third supermajority of over 1000 "voting members" of the assembly. Due to the efforts of opponents, the Concordat of Agreement was defeated at the ELCA's churchwide assembly in August 1997 by only six votes.
In preparation for the 1999 churchwide assembly, the ELCA and ECUSA had developed a new version of the proposed fellowship agreement, this time dubbed Called to Common Mission
Called to Common Mission
Called to Common Mission is an agreement between The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , establishing full communion between them. It was ratified by the ELCA in 1999, the ECUSA in 2000, after the narrow failure of a previous agreement. Its principal author on the...
. While the document claimed to address Lutheran concerns, it was sufficiently similar that the ECUSA declared that its original vote in favor of the Concordat would count as the first of two required votes at successive general conventions to affirm Called to Common Mission. In spite of an organized effort, Called to Common Mission passed by 27 votes in the churchwide assembly.
Up to this time, WordAlone had been almost exclusively a grassroots movement working through a website and a listserve. The individual leaders then called for "WordAlone Regional Meetings" around the country to meet and send delegates to a national meeting in November in Roseville, Minnesota
Roseville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile...
. The assembled delegates voted to meet again to form the WordAlone Network in March 2000, and the organization has been active since.
In a small concession to WordAlone supporters, the ELCA assembly in 2001 did enact an amendment to church bylaws to allow for pastors, rather than bishops, to preside at ordinations in "unusual circumstances," a method that has been used 17 times as of 2005. WordAlone has viewed these "unusual" ordinations as small victories, although they have provoked irritation from some in the ECUSA who see the practice as reflecting a lack of commitment to the Called to Common Mission agreement.
Organizations founded or developed by WordAlone
- Lutheran Congregations in Mission for ChristLutheran Congregations in Mission for ChristLutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ is an association of Lutheran congregations in the United States. It began in 2000 in response to the liberalization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . LCMC is characterized by the traditional stances it takes on Lutheran polity, biblical...
- Lutheran CORELutheran CORELutheran CORE, or Coalition for Renewal, is a community of confessing Lutherans spanning Lutheran church bodies. Lutheran CORE describes itself as:...