c. 1999 Religion News Service

ST. LOUIS _ Delegates to the 18th plenary of the Consultation on Church Union on Saturday (Jan. 23) began considering a draft proposal aimed at moving them further down the road to church unity while continuing dialogue on the theological and structural issues that still divide them.

If the draft is adopted, COCU would recommend its nine mainline Protestant member denominations enter a new relationship _ the name of which is still to be determined _ through a public declaration in 2001.

A final statement is scheduled to be voted on by the delegates on Sunday,the final day of the five-day meeting.

The meeting, the first in a decade, marks the continuation of a unity drive that began formally in 1962 and has been called a”defining moment”in the ecumenical effort.

The reading of the initial draft was met with a standing ovation by COCU delegates, many of whom could not predict at the start of the meeting what the direction of COCU would be.

At the heart of the proposal is the elaboration of a series of”visible marks”expressive of their already-achieved but also still-to-be-realized unity, including a new relationship in jointly combating racism, which the document calls a”demonic principality.””Sadly, all of us must confess that while God has given us unity, we have allowed ourselves to be divided as a result of participation in the racial injustice of our society,”the draft reads.”Especially, we repent of the complicity of many of our churches in the societal systems which perpetuate white skin privilege, which shows that we have neither loved one another nor given glory to God.”We have also allowed our theological differences to become church-dividing issues. These sins we confess before God and our brothers and sisters.” Other indications of the new relationship would be mutual recognition of the expressions of the church, including their faith in God, their commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior; their belief in the Holy Spirit; their obedience to Scripture; and their participation in the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion.

The draft also suggests that ongoing theological dialogue will attempt to clarify issues that have divided some of the COCU members.

One of those issues is the reconciliation of differing forms of the ordained ministry _ especially the office of bishop.

The Episcopal Church, unlike the other participants, believes its bishops are part of an unbroken line of succession stretching back to the time of Jesus’ apostles, and it has yet to vote on two key COCU documents, finding the issue of the episcopacy a stumbling block. But a delegate from the denomination was optimistic.”I’m terribly positive,”said Bishop Ted Gulick, a delegate and the leader of the Diocese of Kentucky.”Speaking as a Christian first, I think this draft advances the unity of a significant part of the body of Christ. … I think its major theological premises are very consistent with what the Episcopal Church says theologically.” The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), whose regional bodies have rejected steps that would make reconciliation possible, continues to be troubled by aspects of the initial draft.

Dorothy Bernard, an ordained elder of the PCUSA from St. Louis, said, Presbyterian delegates are”very excited about the proposal in general”but believe COCU still needs to address the issue of elders, who share oversight of congregations with pastors.

The document continues to stress that COCU is not trying to create a merger of denominations.”The relationship expressed through these visible marks is not structural consolidation but a unity in diversity among churches that, though many, understand themselves to be one community in Christ,”it says.

The proposal recommends that the plenary call for the issue of racial justice to be a”primary hallmark”in the new relationship among the churches. It would be linked to”A Call to Christian Commitment and Action to Combat Racism”scheduled to be voted on by the delegates on Sunday.

The draft on racism recommends”concrete actions with the express purpose of dismantling white privilege”such as”insisting that our respective financial institutions enforce statistically attested fair lending policies as a condition for our continuing engagement of their services.” The draft also suggests the denominations address oppression against other groups, including Native Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, other ethnic minorities, women and the elderly.

COCU members, with between 16 million and 17 million members, are: the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church, the International Council of Community Churches, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.

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The draft document urges that local congregations be particularly involved in the new relationship by holding joint worship services and mission projects; assessing work combating racism; and offering educational programs that would teach about the member groups of COCU.

While dealing with the nuts and bolts of how to direct the consultation’s next steps, some spoke of their dreams for the future of church unity across racial and denominational lines.”I want to go on vacation and open up the phone book to look for a church and not just look for Disciples,”said the Rev. Nancy Brink, a pastor of a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregation in Omaha, Neb.”I want other communions to look at this relationship and say, thanks be to God, this is what we need to be a part of.”

DEA END ADELLE