I am not a supporter of the Concordat with the Lutherans [TLC, May 17], in either its original or amended form and I have noted an area of serious disagreement.

Lutheran synod presidents - I refuse to call them "bishops" for they are not that, but, rather, presbyters chosen to occupy a limited-term office - regularly authorize lay persons, usually seminarians fulfilling their obligation of serving as interns in specified congregations, to "celebrate" the Holy Communion. In Canada, some seminary professors, though quite unordained, have also been authorized to "celebrate." This is a serious problem, not only with Anglicans of all schools of thought, but also for the more churchly oriented high-church Lutherans.

To be fair, we must admit that the problem has also arisen in the Australian Church, in the almost Calvinistic Diocese of Sydney.

The second area of serious disagreement is in the nature of the ministry itself. To the best of my knowledge, it seems to be common Lutheran teaching that ordination does not confer a specific character, but, rather, is an orderly appointment to an office in the church. This is diametrically opposed to even the lowest of the low Anglican schools of thought.

(The Rev.) George Porthan Soudan, Minn.