wfn.org | Canadian Lutherans Reject Same-Sex Blessing Proposal in Close Vote

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

Canadian Lutherans Reject Same-Sex Blessing Proposal in Close Vote
National Bishop Schultz: The Church Will Have to Deal with this Issue 

WINNIPEG, Canada/GENEVA, 11 August 2005 (LWI) - At its Tenth Biennial
Convention, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) rejected a
proposal to allow its pastors to perform blessings for same-sex
relationships.

ELCIC delegates attending the July 21-24 governing body meeting voted
against the measure in a resolution that fell short of the two-thirds
majority needed for it to pass. Of 408 ballots cast, 183 (45 per cent)
were in favor and 220 (54 percent) were opposed. There were five
abstentions.

Delegates were voting on a recommendation from the ELCIC National
Church Council to permit blessings for same-sex couples under certain
conditions. The resolution would have allowed a "local option" for
blessings for same-sex couples in committed relationships.

The National Church Council forwarded the resolution to the ELCIC
convention after nearly a year's study and debate. It was viewed as a
compromise between allowing same-sex marriages and not permitting any
rite for same-sex couples at all.

Coincidentally, the debate occurred during the same week as a federal
law permitting same-sex marriage officially came into effect. Canada is
the fourth country in the world to allow civil marriages for same-sex
couples following the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. However, the
Canadian law does not require churches to perform same-sex marriages,
leaving that to their own discretion.

The same-sex issue dominated the four-day convention, with many
predicting a close vote. Supporters argued that the only way to make
gays and lesbians feel fully included in the ELCIC was to adopt the
resolution. Opponents warned that passing it could split the church and
lead to an exodus of congregations.

National Bishop Schultz Cautions Debate Will Recur

At a press conference following the debate, ELCIC National Bishop
Raymond Schultz said he predicted the same-sex issue would come up again
at future conventions. "The vote was almost a 50-50 split, which means
that half of our church is not satisfied with the outcome. I can't
imagine this going on for very long without people in the church
starting another initiative."

Schultz pointed out that the changing political landscape for same-sex
marriage meant the church would have to deal with the matter whether it
wanted to or not. "The fact that we now have federal legislation for
same-sex marriage means that the church has to determine what marriage
means inside the church as opposed to state marriage," he said.

Officially, the ELCIC does not condone same-sex blessings, as a result
of a 2003 letter from bishops stating that the church does not perform
rites for same-sex couples.

The ELCIC also takes guidance from a 1970 statement by the former
Lutheran Church of America on sex, marriage and the family, which refers
to homosexuality as a departure from the norm. However, the National
Church Council in its resolution called sections of that statement
inadequate "in light of developing theological, pastoral and
sociological scholarship." It called for the ELCIC to suspend
application of those references.

The ELCIC is Canada's largest Lutheran church, with approximately
182,000 members in 624 congregations throughout five regional synods. It
joined the Lutheran World Federation in 1986.

Also during the convention, Bishop Schultz was returned to a second
consecutive four-year term as ELCIC national bishop. (550 words)

(By Winnipeg-based LWI correspondent Ron Friesen, who attended the
ELCIC Biennial Convention.)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
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churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith
relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights,
communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work.
Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

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