Nineteen church congregations are the first to vote their intentions to form the new North American Lutheran Church. Ryan Schwarz, vice-chair of Lutheran CORE, the organizing group of the new church body, claims that more than 100 congregations are preparing to do so.
The Chicago-based ELCA has 4.5-million members in 10,300 congregations.
Paull Spring, chair of Lutheran CORE, has been nominated to become the new denomination’s first bishop.
Asked why dissatisfied ELCA members did not join the more conservative Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, Schwarz said he and many who are likely to join the new church body do not agree with the LCMS’s “very literal” interpretation of the Bible nor its prohibition of the ordination of women.
The denomination will house its offices in New Brighton, Minn., which also is home to WordAlone Ministries, another key group behind the reform efforts.
