Is there a hidden “Phase Two” that will require the ELCA to adopt the ordination rite of The Episcopal Church?
No. “Called to Common Mission” contains no hidden “Phase Two.” The Episcopal Church’s Ordinal (ordination rite) will remain in force only with The Episcopal Church. As part of the relationship of full communion with the ELCA, The Episcopal Church suspends only a restriction in its Ordinal’s Preface to allow for interchangeability of ordained ministers with the ELCA (paragraph 16). This restriction and its suspension concern the internal order of The Episcopal Church. Nothing in “Called to Common Mission” implies that the ELCA will ever need to adopt The Episcopal Church’s Ordinal.
Related Questions
- Why did the 2000 General Convention of The Episcopal Church adopt an implementing resolution that made reference to "Concordat of Agreement" and three-fold ordering of ELCA ministry?
- Did The Episcopal Church adopt the same version of "Called to Common Mission" as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America?
- What does the Reikifire church require of its clergy after ordination?
