wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Acts On Key Sexuality Proposals

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ELCA Assembly Acts On Key Sexuality Proposals
CWA-33-05-JS

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) affirmed pastoral
care for all people including people who are gay or lesbian, and
continued to encourage the church to welcome gay and lesbian
people into its life. In a related action, the assembly rejected
a proposal that would have allowed the church, under special
circumstances, to ordain gay and lesbian candidates for ministry
who are involved in lifelong, committed same-sex relationships.
     While the assembly did not create formal rites for blessing
couples in same-sex relationships, it entrusted pastoral care to
individual pastors and congregations. ELCA church leaders said
that the actions affirmed the ELCA's current standards for
ministry and reaffirmed the pastoral guidance of a 1993 pastoral
letter issued by the ELCA Conference of Bishops.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here August 8-14 at the World Center
Marriott and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are
participating, including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for
the biennial assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ
Forever."
     Voting members devoted virtually all day Aug. 12 to three
recommendations related to its Studies on Sexuality. The ELCA
assembly actions highlighted pastoral guidance from its
Conference of Bishops and restated its trust in its pastoral
leaders. The church resolved to "welcome gay and lesbian persons
into its life (as stated in Churchwide Assembly resolutions from
1991, 1995, and 1999), and trust pastors and congregations to
discern ways to provide faithful pastoral care to all to whom
they minister."  The Rev. Carol Hendrix, bishop of the ELCA Lower
Susquehanna Synod, initiated an amendment to replace "same-sex
couples" with "all to whom they minister" making the guidance
match the bishops' pastoral message.
     As the assembly deliberation began, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson,
presiding bishop of the ELCA, said that the church has "done this
work well. We've listened to each other. We've learned from each
other. We've prayed for and with each other. And I believe we've
journeyed together faithfully" in the ELCA's three-year study of
the questions related to homosexuality.
      The debate regarding blessing same-sex relationships
focused on many voting members' discomfort with perceived
ambiguity regarding pastoral discretion in ministry with same-sex
couples.  A number of attempts to amend the resolution to more
clearly define whether same-sex blessings were allowed failed.
Robert Benne, voting member, ELCA Virginia Synod, was one of
those attempting to clarify the resolution.  He said the
"ambiguity of [recommendation] number two is what many in the
ELCA find troubling." On the other hand, the Rev. Stephen P.
Bouman, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, told
voting members that many of their children come to live within
the parishes of his synod. He asked for help in creating the
"pastoral space to serve the children that we take -- so that can
we be the church together and create space for that to happen."
     Members of the assembly often disagreed in the debate on the
use of the Bible. Many voting members urged the assembly to
adhere to the Scriptures as the rule and norm for the life and
faith. But a number also agreed with the Rev. Ralph Klein,
resource theologian from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago,
who reminded the assembly that what the scripture meant in it
original context and what it means for today is not always the
same thing.
     Ultimately, the assembly failed to adopt a policy
recommendation that would allow the church to ordain, consecrate
and commission candidates for ministry who are in life-long,
committed same-sex relationships.  The vote fell well short --
490-503 -- of the two-thirds required to make the change.
     Current ELCA policy expects ministers to refrain from sexual
relations outside marriage, which it defines as "a lifelong
covenant of faithfulness between a man and a woman."
     At a news conference after the voting, Hanson said that he
knew going into the debate that "however the vote turned out some
would be disappointed" but he also stated that he "hopes that
those disappointed in the votes would not sever their
relationship with the church or step back" from their
involvement.  I hope that "everyone hears it clearly -- all week
as we have discussed publicly and clearly -- that gay and lesbian
persons are welcome in this church."
     The Rev. Roy Riley, bishop of the New Jersey Synod and chair
of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, said "what impressed me about
today was how right the [sexuality studies] task force was." He
said that they "heard out in the church a significant minority
that wanted flexibility and space to go in another direction."
     Hanson said that he was pleased by the "respectful tone" of
both the voting members and the visitors, referring to a silent
protest that took place during the debate. In the early
afternoon, some 100 persons wearing rainbow scarves around their
necks walked slowly to the front of the podium, spread across the
convention area, facing the voting members. Hanson requested the
group return to the visitor section, but the group remained in
place until the end of the Aug. 12 afternoon session. Once it was
understood that the protesters were going to remain, Hanson
invited the assembly to continue business.
     The Rev. Sue Ericsson, voting member, ELCA Southeastern
Pennsylvania Synod, told the bishop, "I am in awe of your ability
to lead us through this -- if you can do it, we can do it."
     Following the assembly actions today, the Rev. Jodi
Wangsness, voting member and a campus pastor from the ELCA
Nebraska Synod, said "I'm hearing an improvement. I think [the
statement] understands that this is a church that is in dialogue.
We've been faithful to the conversation with one another."
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     Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

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