Question about AALC

[AngCath]

Grace and peace to the people of Theologia Crucis,
I am currently working in a hospital and I came across a patient who identified themselves as an "American Lutheran" and made a reference to the AALC.
I have some knowledge of ELCA, LCMS, and WELS, but have never heard of AALC. Could someone provide some basic information about what are some of the unique qualities of AALC in relation to the other Lutheran bodies?
Thanks,
AngCath

 

[PreachersWife2004]

They are in fellowship with LCMS.

Here is their website

I just recently got good information off it myself, so hopefully it will help you as well.

God's blessings!

 

[IowaLutheran]

I don't recall if there is an AALC member here, so I'll try to answer.

The AALC is comprised of Lutheran congregations who objected to the 1987 merger of three church bodies to form the ELCA, believing that the new ELCA was too liberal and too heirarchical - theAALC is more congregational in polity. In '87, the American Lutheran Church (ALC), the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), and the Association of Evangelical Churches (AELC) merged to from the ELCA. I believe that most of the AALC congregations come from the former ALC, which was the most conservative of the three predecessor bodies. At one time (late 60s/early 70s), the ALC was in communion with the Missouri Synod (LCMS), before the ALC started ordaining women. The congregations who later formed the AALC did not ordain women, and the AALC has maintained that stance.

Because of the closeness between the AALC and the LCMS, they recently declared full altar and pulpit fellowship.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

What was the polity of the ALC?

 

[AngCath]

Thank you everyone for your responses.

 

[filosofer]

I don't recall if there is an AALC member here, so I'll try to answer.

The AALC is comprised of Lutheran congregations who objected to the 1987 merger of three church bodies to form the ELCA, believing that the new ELCA was too liberal and too heirarchical - theAALC is more congregational in polity. In '87, the American Lutheran Church (ALC), the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), and the Association of Evangelical Churches (AELC) merged to from the ELCA. I believe that most of the AALC congregations come from the former ALC, which was the most conservative of the three predecessor bodies. At one time (late 60s/early 70s), the ALC was in communion with the Missouri Synod (LCMS), before the ALC started ordaining women. The congregations who later formed the AALC did not ordain women, and the AALC has maintained that stance.

Because of the closeness between the AALC and the LCMS, they recently declared full altar and pulpit fellowship.

What was the polity of the ALC?

[FONT= "Book Antiqua"]
I am a pastor in the AALC. The abbreviated initial history given by IowaLutheran summaries the beginnings. There are several former LCMS pastors now serving in the AALC.

Polity leans toward congregational, but in some ways reminds me of the LCMS about 50 years ago. We have a Presiding Pastor and an Executive Council (as the National Mission Developer I serve as a non-voting member of that council). At the Convention in June we voted to reorganize our arrangement of areas/regions, so now we have five large geographic regions, each with a Regional Pastor serving as spiritual head of that region. Nowhere near the role/authority of the LCMS DP, however.

Until now, the National Convention was held every year. Beginning next year we will have the National Convention one year, the next year the Regional Convention. Voting at these conventions is based on membership numbers (1 voter for every 50 members, plus pastors who serve congregations, and then one pastoral delegate who is elected by the retired/rostered clergy not serving congregations).

Congregational structure would be very similar to LCMS congregational structure.

In Christ's love,
filo
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[AngCath]

pardon my ignorance a little longer, but is a full merger (beyond altar and pulpit fellowship) between AALC and LCMS a possibility?

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

pardon my ignorance a little longer, but is a full merger (beyond altar and pulpit fellowship) between AALC and LCMS a possibility?

I personally think so. Altar and pulpit fellowship is a big step for a denomination with such a 'Mighty Fortress' mentality like the LCMS. AALC has a stronger Pietist influence, however, which routinely proves a problem.

 

[DaRev]

Personally, I don't see that happening any time soon if at all.

The LCMS is considering a major restructuring of it's own. In the past, smaller church bodies that have merged with the LCMS have maintained their identity, i.e. the English and SELC districts, which may both be kaput in two years. I don't see the AALC wanting to dissolve to become part of the LCMS.

Filo, your input?

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Personally, I don't see that happening any time soon if at all.

The LCMS is considering a major restructuring of it's own. In the past, smaller church bodies that have merged with the LCMS have maintained their identity, i.e. the English and SELC districts, which may both be kaput in two years. I don't see the AALC wanting to dissolve to become part of the LCMS.

Filo, your input?

What sort of restructuring?

 

[DaRev]

What sort of restructuring?

I must admit I don't know all the details of what has been discussed, but it could entail re-doing the districts which would eliminate the non-geographic districts. They have discussed the possibility of calling a special convention in 2009 to address this prior to the regular convention in 2010.

 

[AngCath]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info!

 

[DaRev]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info!

I absolutely love your signature picture.

"With angels and archangels and all the company of heaven..."

 

[AngCath]

I absolutely love your signature picture.

"With angels and archangels and all the company of heaven..."

Thanks!
Just added it today

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Wow, that is a great signature.... really captures the essence of the union of heaven and earth in the divine liturgy...

 

[filosofer]

Personally, I don't see that happening any time soon if at all.

The LCMS is considering a major restructuring of it's own. In the past, smaller church bodies that have merged with the LCMS have maintained their identity, i.e. the English and SELC districts, which may both be kaput in two years. I don't see the AALC wanting to dissolve to become part of the LCMS.

Filo, your input?

[FONT= "Book Antiqua"]
I can tell you that there is absolutely no interest or desire for merging. I found a few in AALC who used that as the basis to try to defeat the resolution for fellowship with the LCMS. After it was carefully explained that a merger was not expected, anticipated, desired, or planned, then many AALC voters were relieved and excited about the possibility.

Even in the cases of SELC and English District, they anticipated assimilation and so are not really comparable. The nearest parallel would be WELS/ELS when they were in fellowship with LCMS - they had no intention of merging.

In Christ's love,
filo
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