wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Holds Hearings On Sexuality Recommendations

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ELCA Assembly Holds Hearings On Sexuality Recommendations
CWA-11-05-JS

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2005
Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) had their first chance to ask questions and make comments
on controversial recommendations related to homosexuality and
ministry in two hearings Aug. 9.
     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."
     The ELCA has been engaged in a study process since 2001
aimed to answer two questions related to homosexuality.  The
first question is whether or not the church should bless same sex
relationships and secondly, whether or not the ELCA should
ordain, consecrate or commission persons in committed, lifelong
same-sex relationships.
     Currently, there is no ELCA approved ritual for blessing
same sex relationships, and although the church may ordain
homosexual persons, they are expected to abstain from homosexual
sexual relationships.
     The hearings are non-legislative forums for voting members
to ask questions or make comments before full discussions begin.
More than 900 persons, mostly voting members, were given a
glimpse of what the debate will look like in the full session
Thursday afternoon when the full assembly takes up the proposals.
     Fielding questions and comments from approximately 900
voting members in two hearings were the Rev. James M. Childs,
former director of the ELCA Studies on Sexuality, and the Rev.
Margaret G. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod and chair
of the sexuality studies task force.  ELCA Church Council member
Judy Biffle, Houston, moderated the hearings and responded to
questions directed toward the council, and the Rev. Rebecca S.
Larson, executive director of the ELCA Division for Church in
Society also addressed questions.
     As the hearings began, the Rev. Joseph Wolf, voting member,
Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, had not yet decided how he plans
to vote, said "I hope the fire breathers don't drive the debate."
He added, "so far it's been OK."
     Several voting members questioned whether or not the task
force's recommendation as proposed permits pastors to bless same
sex relationships. Payne indicated that the task force chose its
words carefully, avoiding the term "blessing" in favor of
pastoral discretion, and using the wording of a 1993 statement by
the ELCA Conference of Bishops that stated "we express trust in
and will 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."
     Of the roughly 40 persons who spoke at the hearings, several
felt that the ELCA was being "wishy-washy" in failing to spell
out a definitive position on the two questions. Payne responded,
"It's not that. It's very Lutheran. We live in paradox. That's
different from wishy-washy. There is strength in understanding
the reality of paradox and the variety of practices."
     A pastoral tone carried throughout the hearings, with both
younger and older voting members testifying at the microphone,
but challenges came from both directions.  One member identified
himself as a "homophobe... but a recovering homophobe,"
describing his own journey on the issues before the church.
Several wanted to know how the church would determine if a
candidate is truly living in a committed long-term relationship.
Others wished to know if the task force took into consideration
the concerns of global partner churches in the Lutheran World
Federation and ecumenical partner churches.
     The Rev. Ann Tiemeyer, voting member, ELCA Metropolitan New
York Synod, began her two-minute comment, saying "This hearing is
really on evangelism. It is an issue of hearing the stories of
all the people. We hear stories of the lack of unity, but we
haven't heard the stories of those already lost."
     Childs, who said he has attended more than 50 gatherings
across the church designed to assist the listening and reporting
process, indicated that the task force received feedback from
more than 28,000 individuals and congregations. Most of the
responses (56 percent) favored no change in the church's policy.
But he was heartened, he said, by the fact that "nearly 80
percent of those responding said that they felt they understood
each other better" as a result of their participation.
     A pastor from San Francisco, who described his congregation
as one-quarter gay or lesbian members, asked if there was "any
good news to bring back to his congregation." Payne admitted that
"the news is not all good. People are still in pain and we are
still struggling with these issues. But I believe there is a
place where the church can find room to move" as it considers the
next step in its decisions about two issues of human sexuality
and [the church's] ministries."
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     Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

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