wfn.org | ELCA Council Acts on Resolutions from Two Synods

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 17, 2005

ELCA Council Acts on Resolutions from Two Synods
05-225-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) declined a request to authorize
a review of "Vision and Expectations" -- a document outlining the
ELCA's vision for its ordained and professional lay ministers --
and referred for further study a resolution related to the
exercise of discipline and the candidacy process of the ELCA.
The two action items were removed from "en bloc," status and
discussed at the request of council members.  Several other
routine responses to resolutions from synods were adopted by the
council in one en bloc action.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and
serves as the legislative authority of the church between
churchwide assemblies.	The council met here Nov. 11-13.
Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-12,
2007.
     The council of the ELCA Southwest California Synod,
Glendale, forwarded a resolution to the Church Council requesting
it to authorize ELCA Vocation and Education to conduct a review
of Vision and Expectations.  The review would include an
examination from "a variety of biblical and confessional
theologians of this church" and consideration by the ELCA
Conference of Bishops.	The resolution stated that parts of
Vision and Expectations "continue to create much of the
disagreement within the ELCA on matters related to the role of
gay and lesbian rostered ministers."
     In addition to declining to review Vision and Expectations,
the ELCA Church Council declined to postpone any decision to open
a review of the document, and it acknowledged decisions of the
2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly related to three recommendations
that resulted from a multi-year study process on sexuality as the
council's response to the synod resolution.  The study process,
led by a task force, was mandated by the 2001 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly.
     This past summer, the 2005 assembly:
 + Urged members of the ELCA to "concentrate on finding ways to
live together faithfully in the midst of disagreements."
 + Asked that the ELCA "continue to respect the guidance" of the
1993 statement of the Conference of Bishops, which found no basis
for establishing an official ceremony for the blessing of a
homosexual relationship.  The assembly reiterated this church's
welcome to gay and lesbian people and its trust in pastors and
congregations as they "discern ways to provide faithful pastoral
care for all to whom they minister."
 + Declined to establish a process by which a person living in a
committed long-term homosexual relationship could seek an
exception to current ELCA policy concerning rostered leaders.
This recommendation, which required a two-thirds vote for
adoption, was defeated 490-503.  As a result, there is no change
in the ELCA's expectations of rostered leaders.
     The Rev. Jeff Sorenson, Sioux Falls, S.D., a new council
member, introduced the council's response to the Southwest
California Synod resolution.  Sorenson said since the Orlando
assembly, the ELCA has been seen "as a different church in our
territory."  He also said that the council should do what it can
to build and maintain trust and confidence in the wider church.

ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod Resolution
     The Church Council received a resolution from the ELCA
Metropolitan New York Synod related to the exercise of discipline
and the candidacy process.  Specifically, the resolution is
intended to guide the synod's leaders in responding to people who
are gay or lesbian, in a committed relationship and serving as
professional ordained or lay leaders in the church.
     The resolution asks that the council to clarify "whether
this resolution is in concurrence with the governing documents of
the ELCA."
     As its response the council referred the resolution to the
ELCA Office of the Secretary in consultation with the ELCA Office
of the Presiding Bishop, Vocation and Education, and ELCA
Conference of Bishops, and requested that "a report and possible
recommendations be presented to the (council's) April 2006
meeting.
     The Rev. Joseph G. Crippen, council member, Northfield,
Minn., said people who have read the resolution have varying
interpretations.
     The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, told the council
that the synod resolution is "very complicated."  He said the
council will "need to spend many hours examining" the resolution,
adding possible conversations with the ELCA Conference of Bishops
-- an advisory body of the church consisting of the ELCA's 65
synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary.
     The ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod held a special assembly
on Oct. 29 and developed the resolution to guide the synod and
its leaders on the exercise of discipline and the candidacy
process.  The full text of the resolution is available at
http://www.mnys.org/headlines/special_meeting_report.html on the
Internet.
- - -
     "Vision and Expectations: Ordained Ministers in the ELCA" is
available at http://www.ELCA.org/candidacy/vision_ordained.html
on the Internet.

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