Called to Common Mission Becomes More Controversial








News Releases and Information Bulletins CCM Verax Launch on Wednesday, 07 November 2001 CCM Verax Publicizes ELCA Ecumenical Grand Deception ELCA Parishes Informed of Ecumenical Grand Deception CCM Verax "Epiphany Email Extravaganza" CCM Becomes More Controversial CCM Verax Appeals to Lutheran World Leaders for Support Shock as ELCA Proposes to Drop Reformation Day Disbelief as Lutherans Abandon Reformation Day Further Objections to ELCA Cancelling Reformation Day International Lutheran Community Responding to US Lutheran Ecumneical "Grand Deception" CCM Verax International Newsletter - Lent 2003 Edition (published) Proosed Public Debate at 10th Assembly of LWF LWF General Secretary Noko involved in ELCA Ecumenical Scandal ELCA Moral Leader in "Mitergate" Ecumenical Scandal ELCA Mitergate Scandal - Justification by Historic Episcopacy ELCA Moral Leader Runs from Mitergate Scandal Debate ELCA Mitergate Debate - Call to Lutherans Worldwide For Help Call for Suspension of ELCA Membership in Lutheran World Federation Sydney Diocese Anglicans vs. ELCA Mitergate Lutherans The ELCA and its new "Hypocrite Episcopate" ELCA Makes Historic Ecumenical U-Turn ELCA / LWF Perpetuate Fallacies about “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” (JDDJ) CCM Verax Communiqué to LWF Member Churches		Printer Version CCM VERAX PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Date: 10 February 2002 Title: CALLED TO COMMON MISSION BECOMES MORE CONTROVERSIAL (Au Gres, Michigan, USA) Called to Common Mission (CCM), the full-communion agreement between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Episcopal Church (USA), is set to become more controversial than ever before. For many years CCM has divided ELCA Lutherans. The issue of dispute has been the requirement in CCM that the ELCA adopt an "historic episcopate" as a condition for unity with the Episcopal Church. The "historic episcopate" refers to a tactile succession of bishops which supposedly stretches back to the earliest times in the church. CCM claims that the Lutheran Reformers expressed their "deep desire" in the Lutheran statements of faith (Confessions) to have structures like the "historic episcopate." Research published in the Epiphany (January) edition of the theological journal Logia demonstrates this claim in CCM to be incorrect. In an article entitled "Called to Common Mission: A Lutheran Proposal?" Pastor Mark D. Menacher, PhD presents his data. Based on research first published in 1995 Menacher explains that the Lutheran Reformers did not know what the concept of "episcopal succession" was when the relevant Lutheran statement of faith was written in 1530-1531. Thus, he concludes that it is historically impossible for the Lutheran Reformers to have referred to "episcopal succession" in the Lutheran Confessions, as CCM claims. Menacher details further that when the concept of "episcopal succession" became a marginal topic of discussion in the church in 1538-1540, this concept was dismissed by the Lutheran Reformers, both Luther and Melanchthon. The new controversy over CCM entails more than incorrect information being given to the ELCA membership. In his article Menacher also reveals that Professor Michael Root, an ELCA CCM drafter, was aware as early as 1995 of this research which undermines CCM. As a result, Menacher argues, the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly which approved CCM was knowingly and wrongfully led to believe something about "episcopal succession" exactly opposite to the Lutheran Reformers' intentions. Menacher states, "The Lutheran Reformers rejected 'episcopal succession' out of hand. That was clear before CCM was drafted. So, why was CCM drafted to say something contrary to known historical fact?" Although ELCA leaders have been made aware of this new research which could cause CCM to unravel, ELCA leaders have not yet addressed the matter publicly. In fact, Menacher reports, some ELCA leaders have been using the events of September 11 to avoid an investigation of the matter. As the church season of Lent approaches, Menacher is calling upon ELCA leaders to address the situation. "ELCA leaders need to take decisive action to right this wrong caused by CCM. If they do not, they make themselves accomplice to what, I argue, is the greatest act of deception ever perpetrated by an ecclesial denomination in the history of North America." Under the banner of CCM Verax ("verax" being Latin for "speaking truthfully") Menacher has also launched a web site to make his findings more widely available to the ELCA membership. The CCM Verax web site can be found on the Internet at http://www.ccmverax.org. A synopsis of the "grand deception" in CCM is at http://www.ccmverax.org/GrandDeception.htm A copy of the research paper sent to all top ELCA leaders is at http://www.ccmverax.org/ResearchPaper.htm Please send inquiries to: Mark D. Menacher, PhD 215 E. Michigan Avenue Au Gres, MI 48703 mdmenacher@ccmverax.org CCM Verax Administrator Note: At this point in time, CCM Verax is administered by Pastor Mark D. Menacher, PhD. Pastor Menacher is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He holds a Ph.D in historical and systematic theology from the University of Manchester, England. While in the United Kingdom, he served a pastorate in the Lutheran Church in Great Britain (LCiGB). In addition to his pastoral duties, Pastor Menacher also served on the LCiGB's Executive Committee and as the LCiGB's ecumenical officer. Pastor Menacher's wife is from Wales, and she is an Anglican (Episcopalian).
Editor: Pastor Mark D. Menacher, PhD, CCM Verax, 13823 Olive Grove Place , Poway, CA 92064 (USA) +1 619-463-6633 (church) e-mail: mdmenacher@ccmverax.org website: http://www.ccmverax.org