CCM Verax Letter to ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson

15th May 2003

Rev. Mark S. Hanson,
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631

Dear Bishop Hanson,

I wish to thank you for your letter from 6th May 2003 responding to the CCM Verax challenge to debate the "grand deception" in Called to Common Mission (CCM), the full communion agreement between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church. The proposed debate is envisaged to take place at the Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation to be held in July 2003 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. For ease of reference, I enclose a copy of your response.

Further to your letter, I note your account of the passage of CCM. It would seem to me that to recount the passage of CCM without making reference to the "grand deception" in CCM serves only to perpetuate this same deception.

Because Jesus Christ as "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6) is the Lord of heaven and earth (Ephesians 1), one cannot dismiss the "grand deception" in CCM as being merely "an internal matter" of the ELCA. A failure to advance the truth is clearly a failure to serve both Christ and the teachings of Lutheranism worldwide.

I am convinced that most Lutherans throughout the world cherish theological integrity and truth. In light of your refusal to debate the "grand deception" in CCM, unfortunately, CCM Verax is now obliged to ask the leaders of Lutheran World Federation member churches to arrange the proposed debate on your behalf.

Yours sincerely,

Mark D. Menacher, PhD
Pastor and CCM Verax Administrator