LCC, LCMS, and NALC continue dialogue

USA – Representatives of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) met for the latest round in their ongoing dialogue November 11-12, 2019 in Columbus Ohio.

The November meetings were hosted by the North American Lutheran Church. They also represented newly elected NALC Bishop Daniel Selbo’s introduction to the dialogue group. Bishop Selbo was elected on August 9, 2019.

Among other business during the meetings, church representatives heard three presentations on First Peter as a pillar letter of the New Testament by Rev. Prof. John Pless; Rev. Dr. Joel Lehebauer; and Rev. Dr. James Nestingen.

Participating in the November 2019 meetings were:

• For the LCMS: Rev. Dr. Joel Lehenbauer, Executive Secretary, Commission for Theology and Church Relations (CTCR); Rev. Larry Vogel, CTCR Assistant Executive Secretary; and Rev. Professor John Pless, Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana).
• For the NALC: Bishop Daniel Selbo; Rev. David Wendel, Church Relations Director; Rev. Mark Chavez, General Secretary; Rev. Dr. James Nestingen, NALC theological consultant.
• For LCC: Past President Robert Bugbee.

The next round of dialogue will be hosted by the LCMS and will take place May 20-21, 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dialogue between the LCMS and NALC began in 2011, with LCC joining the dialogues shortly thereafter. Since then, Lutheran Church–Canada and the North American Lutheran Church have found several opportunities for cooperation. NALC pastors in Canada participate in LCC’s Worker Benefits Program, for example. LCC’s seminary in Edmonton (Concordia Lutheran Seminary) also counts one NALC pastoral candidate among its student body. In Winnipeg, meanwhile, one NALC pastor is a regular participant in the local LCC pastor’s winkel.

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Mathew Block

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