wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Discusses Homosexuality in Well-Attended Hearings

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 10, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES HOMOSEXUALITY IN WELL-ATTENDED HEARINGS
01-CWA23-LJG

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Hundreds of voting members and visitors
came to talk and listen at two Aug. 9 hearings on "Homosexuality in the
Church."  Each 45-minute forum was moderated by ELCA Church Council
member Ellen Maxon, Milwaukee.  Only voting members had voice at the two
hearings.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center.  There
are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting
members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known:
Sharing Faith in a New Century."
     In one exchange, the Rev. Janet M. Corpus addressed the questions
that had been raised in both hearings as to whether gay and lesbian
people were actually part of the discussion.  She then asked, "Are there
gay and lesbian people listening?  What percentage of staff and
Conference of Bishops are gay and lesbian?  Could you give that
information?"
     The Rev. Joseph Wagner, director of the ELCA Division for
Ministry, responded, "No.  I don't know that information.  I can tell
you we have had openly gay and lesbian people speak at our board and
make presentations."
     Susan Thompson, executive director for maturing congregations in
the ELCA Division for Outreach, said, "One of the things I've learned is
there is a debate about outing other people; about the value of outing
other people. Perhaps that's not appropriate to do here."
     Approximately 500-600 voting members and visitors attended one
hearing, and nearly 400 attended a second hearing.
     The Rev. Leslie F. Weber, associate director of the ELCA Division
for Church in Society, and Thompson presented a time line of official
ELCA church action and the work of advocates for change since the
beginning of the ELCA.  Maxon asked that only people with red tags speak
on a two-minute time allotment, and that the hearing be "a place of
respectful, safe and even holy sharing among God's people."
     Some participants talked about frustration with years of
conversation in the church, and little action.  They told of attempts to
have conversations in synods and congregations stifled; of the pain they
felt of being obliged to deny ordination to seminary-prepared ministers
because of the standards of the church.  People shared concerns about
blessing same-sex unions, about AIDS and about dividing the church.
Several people spoke of sharing stories of family members who are gay or
lesbian, and finding relief in being able to safely share those stories,
while saying that they could never share the truth in home
congregations.
     Rosanna Abanonu, Saint Paul Area Synod, said, "The church is made
up of believers in Christ and none of us here saw Christ but we believe
and we base our belief from the Bible.  Is there anything in the Bible
that can help us who have negative feelings about homosexuals? The
church should base all her decisions from the Bible, not from science or
from medicine or from society.  There is no way we can do it, and
someone will not be happy."
     Beth Margraf, Northwestern Ohio Synod, said, "For the 81-year-old
woman in my church who had two sons who were gay, and are both dead, she
says, It's nice that the church is talking about this, but it's too
little too late for her.  There's a sense of urgency."
     The Rev. Daniel D. Baker, Southeastern Minnesota Synod, said "I
think about the word 'blessing', and talking about relationships and the
man shall cleave to his wife and they shall become one flesh. I see
silence in Scripture about homosexual relationships. I struggle about
homosexuality. I believe the Bible is clear: God wants to protect us
from hurt and abuse, from the diseases that go with that promiscuity and
our hearts breaking, as well.  I encourage us to continue to examine
what God wants us to do."
     Bishop Stephen Bouman of the Metro New York Synod said: "Those
that we baptize are never apart from us.  We are afraid of the world and
we don't have to be. The people who participated in this process were
from Iowa and Minnesota and we want to be together as the church. There
are so many things that split us apart. The child at the door might be
yours and might be mine."
     Wagner said, "We are approaching this by design very carefully.
We are trying to listen very carefully to the different points of view
around a church, trying to de-polarize the situation."
     Further scheduled opportunities to discuss the issue during
assembly include:   * Discussion of memorials on same-gender relationships
     * Discussion of memorials to change policy or suspend enforcement
of policy regarding ordination of gay and lesbian people.
-- -- --
     Information about assembly actions is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/01
on the ELCA's Web Site.  Recorded updates during the assembly are
available by calling 773/380-2477.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html