wfn.org | ELCA Bishops Continue Response to ELCA Task Force Documents

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: ELCA Bishops Continue Response to ELCA Task Force Documents
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>March 19, 2009  

ELCA Bishops Continue Response to ELCA Task Force Documents
09-068-MRC

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) continue to encourage members of their
respective synods to become familiar with two documents released
by the Task Force for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality.

In February the task force released a proposed social
statement on human sexuality. Another report recommends a process
to consider changes to ministry policies that could make it
possible for Lutherans in committed same-gender relationships to
serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal
ministers and ordained ministers.  Recommendations for both
documents will be considered at the 2009 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly, the church's chief legislative body, Aug. 17-23 in
Minneapolis.

The Rev. E. Roy Riley, bishop of the ELCA New Jersey Synod,
Hamilton Square, encouraged members of the synod to read the
documents "for yourself and to yourself, as if the task force is
speaking directly to you," not just "jumping to the hot-button
issues."

In a letter to members of the synod, Riley noted a number of
dimensions addressed in the proposed statement.  Because
sexuality is "complex," Riley said the task force created a broad
theological base for teaching.

"We experience God's love in the context of a relationship
that is faithful and trustworthy," Riley said.  "Marriage and
families are foundation to community.  Protection for the
vulnerable, especially children, is central to these core
relationships."

He said friendships are important to life and come with
their own "contemporary pressures, community norms, workplace
boundaries and dimensions of sexuality."

"There are shared and emerging understandings and
perspectives with regard to same-gendered relationships," Riley
said.  "What is clear to some and not to others is the place of
same-gendered relationships vis-a-vis marriage, family,
community, church proclamation and liturgical options."

"In the presence of strong disagreement among people of deep
faith, the task force lifts up respect for the conscience-bound
beliefs of others," Riley said.  "This social statement that
leads us toward serving our neighbor as the first order of
business calls us to first respect and protect the conscience-
bound position of the one we may have come to believe was our
adversary."

The Rev. Robert A. Rimbo, bishop, ELCA Metropolitan New York
Synod, said the task force's report "takes pains to describe our
best understanding of what it means to be related to one another
as the family of God.  It acknowledges the intimate ways in which
human beings are together as offspring, as parents, as couples.
In the face of an absolute deluge of sexuality in almost every
aspect of life, it holds out themes of trust, grace, fairness,
mercy and God, and upholds those themes."

Rimbo said the report tries to outline a path for Lutherans
to remain "together despite profound disagreement across the
spectrum of opinion."

"The task force believes that we need to respect our
differences and accept the different places in which the baptized
find themselves," he said.  "The recommendation affirms that our
distinctive positions on this issue should not be church-
dividing.  No congregation or institution will be forced to call
a leader they do not wish to call."

The ELCA Northwestern Ohio Synod, Findlay, is holding a
"Day of Prayer and Reflection" April 23 for "conversation and
consolation," said the Rev. Marcus C. Lohrmann, synod bishop.
"Throughout my almost 11 years as your bishop, I have been
impressed by the capacity of this synod to engage in difficult
conversations in a manner that reflects a deep love of our Lord
and this church and the desire to speak the truth in love,"
Lohrmann wrote in a letter to members of the synod.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop and president
of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the Rev. Rafael
Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global Mission, are
working to identify venues for face-to-face conversations with
Lutherans overseas about the task force documents prior to and
after the churchwide assembly.  The LWF is a global communion of
churches representing 68.5 million Lutherans.

In a letter to the ELCA's global companions, Hanson and
Malpica Padilla wrote, "Your companionship has been a source of
strength in our common calling to mission.  It is our hope that
our relationship continues to grow as we deepen and extend our
collaboration and mutual support in God's mission to the world."
- - -

The task force's report and recommendation on ministry
policies and proposed social statement are available 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
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog