First, I want to thank Laura Rico for her fine guest column on the threat of schism [TLC, June 18]. It helped me understand some aspects of the debate I had not grasped before. Her charity is patent and welcome and there is an openness that invites, at least from me, an answering openness to honest, respectful discussion.

I was less happy with the editorial on Called to Common Mission at the same time that I appreciate the publishing of both affirmative and dissenting opinions on the document.

Can we fairly expect that the Lutherans, with their very different history (especially in the U.S.) must have the same administrative understanding of the role of the episcopate as Episcopalians? The Lambeth Quadrilateral does qualify its insistence on the historic episcopate by adding the phase "locally adapted." Even within the Anglican Communion, both in space and time, the episcopate has been exercised differently. My hope is that after Lutherans have experienced it as a pastoral and representative office, their fear of the misuse of episcopal power will lessen and they and we can move toward a shared understanding of its role and centrality in Christian life.

The Concordat did not prescribe adoption of the threefold ministry. It did say both partners would accept the ideal of a threefold ministry as the future pattern of ministry, which is more than the Quadrilateral did.

But, practically, it only promised the same thing as CCM, that both churches would continue to be in dialogue about the role and nature of the diaconate.

Finally, eucharistic sharing was initiated as part of the dialogue between the two churches. It is very uncertain that it will or should be continued if CCM is defeated in General Convention. Then the context, looking toward a more closely shared life together, will have gone and the proleptic sign of a shared Eucharist could become a mockery. And without eucharistic sharing, much of what we can now do together will be compromised as well.

Alda Marsh Morgan

Church Divinity School of the Pacific

Berkeley, Calif.