wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] ELCA Task Force Issues Recommendations On Homosexuality

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8606 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05023
January 14, 2005

ELCA Task Force Issues Recommendations On Homosexuality

by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America News Service

Editor's note: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in American has released a
report on sexuality and ordination. In anticipation of questions concerning
the Presbyterian Church (USA) the Office of the General Assembly prepared a
link to web resources: www.pcusa.org/oga/advisory-opinion.htm.

CHICAGO - task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is
recommending that the church continue to provide pastoral answers to two key
questions on homosexuality.

	n August the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is to decide 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.

Rather than attempting to resolve our differences through legislative action,
we have sought to place matters in the realm of pastoral care and to
encourage continued engagement as we minister to one another," the 14-member
task force of the ELCA Studies on Sexuality said in the report it released
Jan.13.

	It is important to recognize that a pastoral approach regarding these
issues prevailed even though various task force members would have preferred
other options," it said.

	Though our recommendations do not establish new policy or change
existing policy, they do appeal for respect for one another's bound
consciences as a matter of pastoral concern," the task force said.

	The report had six parts.  The first part listed three
recommendations the task force had for the churchwide assembly - that the
ELCA:

* Concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of
disagreements.

* Continue to respect the pastoral guidance of the 1993 statement of the
Conference of Bishops regarding the blessing of homosexual relationships.

* Continue under the standards regarding sexual conduct for rostered leaders
as set forth in "Vision and Expectations" and "Definitions and Guidelines for
Discipline," but that, as a pastoral response to the deep divisions in the
ELCA, this church may choose to refrain from disciplining those who in good
conscience, and for the sake of outreach, ministry and the commitment to
continuing dialogue, call or approve partnered gay or lesbian candidates whom
they believe to be otherwise in compliance with "Vision and Expectations" and
to refrain from disciplining those rostered people so approved and called.

	Current ELCA policy expects ministers to refrain from all sexual
relations outside marriage, which it defines as "a lifelong covenant of
faithfulness between a man and a woman."  The church has no official policy
on blessing same-gender relationships.

	The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body composed of the ELCA's
65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary.  In 1993 it said it
recognized a "basis neither in Scripture nor tradition for the establishment
of an official ceremony by this church for the blessing homosexual
relationship."

It said it did "not approve such a ceremony as an official action of this
church's ministry," but it added that it would "continue dialogue with those
pastors and congregations who are in ministry with gay and lesbian persons,
and affirm their desire to explore the best ways to provide pastoral care for
all to whom they minister."

	"Rostered" leaders of the ELCA are lay and ordained ministers of the
church.  Lay ministers are associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal
ministers. "Vision and Expectations" is a document outlining the ELCA's
standards for those who serve as rostered leaders.

	A section of "Vision and Expectations" that deals with "sexual
conduct" said, "Ordained and commissioned ministers who are homosexual in
their self-understanding are expected to abstain from homosexual sexual
relationships."

	In the task force report, a preface preceded each recommendation, and
commentary followed.

	In the commentary on the first recommendation the task force said it
found no consensus in the church on the questions regarding homosexuality and
that, if the assembly accepts the first recommendation, it will signal that
the church is willing "to continue mutually respectful dialogue on the issues
of human sexuality while seeking to remain engaged in mission together as the
ELCA."

	Commentary on the second recommendation said "the desire to provide
the best pastoral care may motivate some pastors and congregations to
surround same-sex couples in committed, long-term relationships with
prayerful support.  Surrounding persons or households with prayerful support
does not necessarily mean public approval of homosexual sexual intimacy.

	"Such an exercise of pastoral care should be understood as a matter
quite distinct from and in no way equivalent to marriage."  The task force
went on to "beseech the church to commit itself to respect one another's
consciences in this matter."

The third recommendation's commentary pointed out that ELCA congregations are
"not forced to accept" any minister. The church strives to match the gifts of
a minister with the needs of a particular community of faith, it said, and
those doing that work should be trusted to do it with respect for the
consciences of those favoring and those opposing the church's policies.

	The second part of the report presented the task force's rationale
behind its recommendations.

	"Our goal was to seek to understand our differences and to find a way
for us to be the body of Christ.  Our first recommendation challenges the
ELCA to recognize our differences without either glossing over them or
letting them divide us," the report said.

	"The task force members came to recognize that the
biblical-theological case for wholesale change in this church's current
standards has not been made to the satisfaction of the majority of
participants in the study," it said. "While the responses to the study show a
majority in favor of present practices and standards, there is, however,
neither a consensus - a general agreement - nor any emerging consensus on
these practices and standards."

     The report's third part showed the recommendations of two dissenting
positions voiced by some task force members.  One would affirm the church's
current policies and practices, asking that discipline "be undertaken with
all humility" and that those who act contrary to church policies "endure the
discipline of the church for the sake of peace."  The other dissenting
position would remove reference to homosexuality from "Vision and
Expectations."

     The fourth part of the report gave a general overview of the process the
task force followed to arrive at its report and recommendations.

     Part five of the report listed some summary comments and "additional
concerns" gleaned from more than 28,000 responses to the task force's study
materials, "Journey Together Faithfully."  Part six was a "full statistical
summary" of those responses.

     Since its first meeting in May 2002, the task force developed two
studies, "Journey Together Faithfully" parts one and two. Task force members
were involved in hearings across the church and received speakers on a
variety of related topics.

	ELCA leaders received a confidential preview of the report and
recommendations by e-mail on Jan. 12.  A question-and-answer document
accompanied the preview, to help the church's leaders interpret the report
and recommendations for their congregations and communities.

	Next Steps for Task Force Report and Recommendations

	The ELCA's 10,657 congregations may study the report and
recommendations and respond directly to synod councils and assemblies. The
ELCA Conference of Bishops is expected to discuss the report and
recommendations when it meets March 3-8 in Dallas.

	The boards of the ELCA Division for Church and Society and the ELCA
Division for Ministry will meet here March 10-13.  They are expected to
review the task force report and recommendations and forward them to the
Church Council with any additional comments from the boards.

	The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the
legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies.

	The council will meet here April 8-11.	It is to receive the task
force report and recommendations with any additional board comments and to
transmit the report and recommendations to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly.  The
council will prepare a resolution for the assembly action on the
recommendations.

	April through June the ELCA's 65 synods meet separately in synod
assemblies.  They may discuss the report and recommendations and address the
2005 Churchwide Assembly through resolutions called "memorials."  The
churchwide assembly will receive the report and recommendations, and it will
consider the council's resolution, synod memorials and other related
resolutions from voting members of the assembly.

	The ELCA's chief legislative body is the churchwide assembly, which
meets every other year; the next assembly will be Aug. 8-14 in Orlando, Fla. 
The 2001 assembly mandated the study in preparation for decisions the 2005
assembly is to make.

	The task force report can be found at
http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/ on the ELCA Web site. The 1993 Statement
of the ELCA Conference of Bishops on blessing of homosexual relationships is
at http://www.elca.org/sr/bishopsblessings.html
and "Vision and Expectations - Ordained Ministers in the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America" is at http://www.elca.org/candidacy/vision_ordained.html
on the Web.

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

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