Lutheran Committee Calls Ban Against Active Gay Clergy 'Bad Policy'

By Lillian Kwon, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, February 10, 2007

Correction appended

WASHINGTON – The largest Lutheran denomination in the nation might reconsider its policy on barring active homosexuals from ordained ministry after recently defrocking one such clergy member.

A discipline hearing committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) ruled this week that the Rev. Bradley E. Schmeling, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Atlanta, be removed from the clergy roster after he reported to his bishop that he is in a committed relationship with another man. While the ruling committee made its decision in alignment with ELCA's policy on homosexual ministers, it called the policy a "bad" one.

A statement in the Lutheran denomination's "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline" requires that "practicing homosexual persons are precluded from the ordained ministry of this church." But if that requirement were removed, the committee said that it would "almost unanimously" have kept Schmeling as a clergy member.

The committee would find that "Pastor Schmeling is not engaged in conduct that is incompatible with the ministerial office, and would find with near unanimity that no discipline of any sort should be imposed against him," according to the ELCA News Service.

As Schmeling's removal is effective Aug. 15, the committee suggested that the ELCA Churchwide Assembly consider revising the policy that prohibits practicing homosexuals from ordained ministry and immediately reinstating those who have resigned or been removed as clergy members solely because they entered into "a loving, lifelong partnership with another person of the same sex that is mutual, chaste and faithful."

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest homosexual group, called the committee's suggestions "encouraging."

Some evangelicals spoke out in disappointment.

"While we commend the ELCA clergy committee for upholding church law in this matter, we remain disappointed in the statement of the committee, which essentially calls for a method to bypass the guidelines," said Jim Tonkowich, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, in a statement.

A similar proposal last year by the ELCA task force which recommended establishing exceptions to the ministerial standards was declined.

According to the Rev. Ronald B. Warren, bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Synod in Atlanta, Schmeling specifically disclosed to him that he is in a "sexual relationship with an adult male."

Schmeling had admitted to being in violation of ELCA's policy for ordained ministers, Warren said. Following established standards of the church, Warren filed charges against Schmeling on Aug. 8, 2006, after the gay pastor refused to resign.

"It was my responsibility as bishop of this synod to enforce the established standards of this church," said Warren in a written statement, according to the ELCA News Service, "particularly when the 2005 Churchwide Assembly decided that the church would not create a process for possible exceptions to existing behavior expectations for pastors."

In agreement with the 2005 assembly decision, Tonkowich stated, "The IRD believes that the ELCA committee decision should be centered on the Word of God, not on an arbitrary attempt to circumvent it in order to appease the culture."

The disciplinary committee's suggestions come a few weeks after the ELCA released its third and final study on human sexuality. The study series is part of an effort to obtain the response of the people in the pews to help shape the church's stance on human sexuality, including homosexual ordination. A draft of the ELCA social statement is due out early 2009.

Correction: Wednesday, February 14, 2007

An article on Saturday, February 10, 2007, about a church committee’s decision to defrock a gay clergy member within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America incorrectly stated that the Lutheran denomination plans to reconsider its policy on barring active homosexuals from ordained ministry. The Christian Post confirmed with the ELCA News Service that the denomination might reconsider the policy as it was just a suggestion by an ELCA disciplinary committee.