The ecumenical path has always been narrow, but recent events cast a new light on the limited and shifting range of ecumenical possibilities. With the exception of the success of the rapprochement of Luth eran, Reformed and United churches in Europe, intra-Protestant ecumenism seems to be dead in the water.
Lutheran dissidents said in late September they would hunker down for a year and study whether to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amer ica and create a new church body. But in mid-November, Lutheran CORE (Co alition for Renewal) announced that such a body will likely be necessary sooner. “What happened was the idea of a discussion for a year became kind of scary for people who want to leave now,” said David Baer, a CORE spokesperson and pastor of an ELCA church in Whitewood, South Dakota.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America announced in mid-November that some 40 full-time jobs, of which six were vacant, will be eliminated in order to stay within a budget reduced by nearly $7.7 million. The program and staff reductions reflected the struggling U.S. economy and the decision by some congregations to withhold or redirect mission support because of their disagreements with the 2009 Churchwide Assembly decision to open ordination and ministry positions to gay and lesbian Lutherans in committed same-gender relationships. M.