wfn.org | ELCA Task Force Turns To Recommendations On Sexuality Issues

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 7, 2004

ELCA Task Force Turns To Recommendations On Sexuality Issues
04-187-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) task force for the studies of sexuality met here Oct. 1-3
and began funneling all that it learned since May 2002 into a
report and recommendations to the ELCA 2005 Churchwide Assembly.
The recommendations will be on whether or not the church should
bless same-gender relationships and whether or not it should
allow people in such relationships to serve the church as
professional lay and ordained ministers.
     "This is the meeting at which we really began to come to
terms with the fact that we need to move closer and closer to the
final stage of writing the recommendations," said the Rev.
Margaret G. Payne, chair of the 14-member task force and bishop
of the ELCA New England Synod, Worcester, Mass.
     The task force has been engaged in conversation, study and
listening to people from a variety of disciplines, including
theologians and biblical scholars, Payne said.	It has also been
reviewing responses to the two churchwide studies the task force
developed -- "Journey Together Faithfully" parts one and two, she
said.
     "At this meeting we were in a process of bringing together
all of that information and engaging in discussion, which will
move us to a time, we hope in December, when we will actually
finish the work on writing the recommendations," Payne said.
     "At this point we don't have any kind of a final answer at
all," she said.  "We experience within the task force the same
thing that the church experiences, which is an ongoing sharing of
opinions on the subject and differences of opinions.  We listen
to one another and respect one another's opinions," Payne said.
The difference is that the task force must develop
recommendations, she said.
     "It's hard work, but it's good work with a good group,"
Payne said.  "Each person in the task force feels deeply
responsible to do this job well for the church," she said.  "We
are most appreciative of all the people who are praying for us in
this work and supporting us."
     In a closed session, allowing only limited reporting, the
task force discussed a spectrum of possible recommendations and
the possible outcomes of their implementation.	Members talked
about the hope that the wording of their report and
recommendations could divert the churchwide assembly from having
to make a possibly church-dividing decision.
     The ELCA is organized into 65 synods, each headed by a
bishop. The ELCA Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the
church, consisting of the church's synod bishops, presiding
bishop and secretary.
     The Conference of Bishops met here Sept. 30-Oct. 4 and met
with task force members Oct. 1 in small-group and plenary
discussions.
     "We had an excellent exchange with the bishops," Payne said.
Task force members "got to know some of the bishops and some of
the realities with which they are dealing in their synods.  That
was new information for some of the task force members and very
helpful information," she said.
     The bishops asked questions, stated concerns and made
suggestions to the task force, Payne said.  "That, in itself, was
a good thing to hear just as we've moved into beginning
consideration of particular and specific directions," she said.
     Many of the bishops spoke of "the price of a yes/no vote" on
blessing same-gender relationships or allowing people in such
relationships to serve the church as lay and ordained ministers.
They discussed with task force members the effects such a vote
may have on relationships within their congregations and synods,
with neighboring Christian churches and with other Lutheran
churches around the world.
     The ELCA's chief legislative body is the churchwide
assembly, which meets every other year; the next assembly will be
Aug. 8-14, 2005, in Orlando, Fla.  The 2001 assembly mandated the
study in preparation for decisions the 2005 assembly is to make.
In addition, the task force is to develop a proposed social
statement on human sexuality for the assembly to consider in
2007.
     Current ELCA policy expects ministers to refrain from all
sexual relations outside marriage.  The church has no official
policy on blessing same-gender relationships.  In 1993 the ELCA
Conference of Bishops stated it does not approve of such
ceremonies.
     The task force gave its director, the Rev. James M. Childs
Jr., the assignment of drafting a report and possible
recommendations.  He is to share his work with a writing team
from the task force, which will prepare some possible
recommendations for the full task force to consider.  The task
force will meet by conference call in November and in person here
Dec. 10-12 to finalize its report and recommendations.
     The task force plans to share its report and recommendations
confidentially with ELCA lay and ordained ministers through e-
mail on Jan. 12.  It plans to release the report and
recommendations publicly on Jan. 13, with a news conference here
at the Lutheran Center.
     The report and recommendations will be topics for the ELCA
Conference of Bishops meeting March 3-8 and the boards of the
ELCA Division for Church in Society and Division for Ministry
meeting March 10-12.  At its April 8-11 meeting the ELCA Church
Council will consider placing the report and recommendations on
the agenda of the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
     ELCA synods usually meet in assembly each spring.	Most
synod assemblies are expected to discuss the report and
recommendations in April, May or June.
-- -- --
     Information about the Studies on Sexuality is at
http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news