of the council’s member churches have been in steady decline over the past few decades. At the same time, globalization and the digital revolution are pushing the boundaries of institutional life. Many churches, like other institutions, are turning
away from top-down approaches and embracing their roles as that of convener. T is shiſt acknowledges the reality that young adults are increasingly suspicious of organized religion. In short, my presidency has been a time of NCC
Kathryn Lohre is the ELCA’s director for ecumenical and interreligious relations.
Toward compelling Christian witness
National Council of Churches furthers dialogue and justice By Kathryn M. Lohre
F
or the past two years, I have had the honor of serv- ing as president of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), the fi rst
Lutheran and the youngest woman to serve in this role. My presidency came at a time of unprecedented
change for U.S. churches. While evangelical, Pentecostal and ethnic churches report signifi cant growth, many
What is the NCC?
Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA has been a leading force for ecumenical cooperation. The 37 NCC member commu-
34
www.thelutheran.org
nions—from a spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Ortho- dox,
evangelical, historic
African-American and peace churches—include 45 million people in more than 100,000 congregations
across the
member churches asking important questions about their future. Without a doubt, seeking unity in Christ holds renewed purpose in today’s multireligious society where people of other faiths and no faith are our neigh- bors, co-workers, family and friends. A compelling Christian witness that promotes God’s justice, peace and the healing of the world is very much needed in an era of competing voices and visions. Great strides have been made in the 63 years since
the NCC was formally organized, and in the 100 plus years since the modern ecumenical movement was launched worldwide. But the age-old church-dividing issues, including eucharistic sharing, haven’t been resolved. At the same time, contemporary church- dividing issues are shaping new generations and must be addressed. T ese are the challenges and opportunities of the
renewed and restructured NCC. T ese are the same challenges and opportunities facing local and regional ecclesial and ecumenical bodies, everyday Christian people. T e council’s future will be defi ned by how eff ectively
it engages as convener and co-convener of people in local, regional and national settings—weaving a com- pelling narrative of the movement for Christian unity in all of its expressions and contexts “so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). In this way, the NCC will remain responsible to its legacy as a forum for dialogue around church-dividing issues and a champion of justice for all as it seeks to be responsive to the rapidly changing religious landscape in which we live.
nation. The ELCA has been a member communion
since
1988, inheriting its member- ship from predecessor bod- ies. Learn more at www. nationalcouncilofchurches. us.
NCC mission statement: “The NCC is a community of communions called by Christ to visible unity and sent forth in the Spirit to promote God’s justice, peace, and the heal- ing of the world.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52