The 1999 United States Lutheran-Episcopalian agreement joined seven million people in a highly-structured ecclesiology. What factors contributed to such a massive and complicated ecclesial reconciliation? Doctrinal consensus is essential, but there is a role for the conditions and motivations which call forth and receive that consensus. The books method is historiographical, the evidence comprises verbatim minutes of Lutheran assemblies, interviews with participants, and ELCA- conducted surveys. Many participants found non- doctrinal factors important or even decisive. The factors...
The 1999 United States Lutheran-Episcopalian agreement joined seven million people in a highly-structured ecclesiology. What factors co...