EIRC
Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations Committee
The Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations Committee
supports the bishop, congregations, rostered ministers and members of the synod in working toward unity among Christians. We also work to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Christians and people of other religions.
Committee Members
If you would like to reach out to the committee, please email EIRC@metrodcelca.org.
Ministry Resources
ONE IN THE SPIRIT SERIES
The Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations Committee offers regular webinars titled Ecumenical Connections to bring us together throughout the year. Click below to view resources from previous webinars held.
In the summer of 2022, the One in the Spirit 3-session series was launched with presenters from different ecumenical backgrounds sharing their encounters with God through scripture, prayer, and discussion.
June 2, 2022 Session Materials
LUTHERANS AND EPISCOPALIANS TOGETHER AT THE TABLE: THE FUTURE OF CALLED TO COMMON MISSION
A webinar on the full communion agreement between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Called to Common Mission (CCM), was held in September 2021, 20 years after the signing of the agreement. Deacon Mitzi Budde (a rostered ELCA leader) addressed the question, "Is God still calling our churches into full communion even through a pandemic and beyond?" She shared stories of Episcopalians and Lutherans creatively implementing full communion today and offered an overview of how this ecumenical partnership came to be.
Please review this interactive Zoom session of Mitzi Budde's presentation on CCM from September 2021. Excellent for adult education classes!
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
The 2022 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was observed from Tuesday, January 18 through Tuesday, January 25. Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington welcomed Christian friends, family and neighbors as they gathered in prayer on Wednesday, January 19, at Saint Bernadette Parish, for the observance of the international Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The theme for 2022 was, “We saw the star in the East and have come to worship him” (Mt. 2:2)
Like many of the ecumenical gatherings and traditional observances in 2021, the 2021 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-26, 2021) was also held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme, "Abide In My Love . . . You Shall Bear Much Fruit" (John 15:1-17) was the focus of an ecumenical service led by Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopal and Methodist bishops in the area.
Here are links to the Worship Aid and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity video.
A DECLARATION OF INTER-RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT:
A POLICY STATEMENT OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
Please read and discuss “A Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment: A policy statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,” adopted at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
A Spanish version is also available for download: Declaración de compromiso interreligioso: Una declaración de política de la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América.
THE CHARTER OF THE "NEW ALLIANCE OF VIRTUE"
The charter of the New Alliance of Virtue aims to build global peace based on tolerance and religious freedom. The charter was inaugurated in December 2019 and is available for study and discussion.
Congregations and Synods may add their signatures to the charter. Kathryn Lohre (Assistant to the ELCA Presiding Bishop and Executive for Ecumenical & Inter-Religious Relations) was part of the ceremonial signing of the charter of the New Alliance of Virtue and offered remarks linking the ELCA's inter-religious commitments to the charter.
ELCA ECUMENICAL AND INTER-RELIGIOUS RELATIONS RESOURCE PAGE
This resource page provides a visual way to explore and download the many types of ecumenical and inter-religious resources available through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
LUTHERAN-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE
2022 is the five-year anniversary of the document, "Communion in Growth: Declaration on the Church, Eucharist and Ministry: A Report from the Finnish Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue Commission for Finland." Participants in the dialogue found that despite differences of emphasis between the Roman Catholic Church in Finland and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, they don’t need to be church dividing issues in the light of the consensus on the basic truths of faith regarding these themes.