Niagara Falls, Ont.
The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) said its joint meeting here with the Anglican Church of Canada’s house of bishops was “a sign of our deepening full communion relationship.”
The Lutheran bishops said it was “a particular honour and privilege” to have been present during the Anglican bishops’ discussions on the church’s response to the renewed call for a moratoria on the blessing of same-sex unions, on the ordination to the episcopate of people in same-sex relationships, and on cross-border interventions.
“The diversity of opinions expressed reflects a similar diversity that we experience within our own church,” the Lutheran bishops said in a statement. “We, too, continue to seek to discern the mind and heart of Christ for the wholesome care of all members of his body, the Church.”
The bishops said they echoed “the desire to stay at the family table,” and was committed to “walking in partnership with our sisters and brothers of the Anglican Church of Canada, and continuing to work to deepen our full communion relationship.”
The Anglican Church of Canada and ELCIC established full communion in 2001 after more than 30 years of dialogue.
The statement was signed by ELCIC national bishop, Susan Johnson; bishop of the British Columbia synod, Gerhard Preibisch; bishop of the synod of Alberta and the Territories, Ron Mayan; bishop of the Saskatchewan synod, Cynthia Halmarson; bishop of the Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario synod, Elaine Sauer; and bishop of the Eastern Synod, Michael Pryse.