Lutherans Release Report on Homosexuality

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released its long-awaited report on the contentious issue of homosexual ordinations and the blessing of homosexual unions within the church

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, January 13, 2005

The Studies on Sexuality Task Force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) released its long-awaited report on the contentious issue of homosexual ordinations and the blessing of homosexual unions on Thursday, January 13, 2004. The report, which took nearly four years to draft, addressed the two questions that have been causing greater rifts within the conservative and liberal factions within the 5-million member denomination: Should homosexuals be ordained and should same-sex unions be blessed in the church?

In regards to the two questions, the task force recommended the church maintain its current stance and refrain from ordaining homosexuals and blessing their unions.

Specifically, it recommended the church “continue to respect the pastoral guidance of the 1993 statement of the Conference of Bishops regarding the blessing of homosexual relationships” and “continue under the standards regarding sexual conduct for rostered leaders as set forth in “Visions and Expectations” and “Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline.”

The 1993 statement of the Conference of Bishops states that clergy should not bless homosexual unions within the church since there is a "basis neither in Scripture nor tradition for the establishment of an official ceremony by this church for the blessing of a homosexual relationship." It also said it did "not approve such a ceremony as an official action of this church's ministry.”

The Conference of Bishops, composed of the ELCA’s 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary, does not represent the voice of the church officially, but acts as an advisory body to the church’s legislation.

The ELCA “Visions and Expectations” spells out the standards and rules of conduct for denomination’s rostered clergy. One of the clauses in the Visions and Expectations states that clergy – both heterosexual and homosexual – are expected to refrain from extra-marital sexual relationships. Marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman only, and the standard further explains “ordained and commissioned ministers who are homosexual in their self-understanding are expected to abstain from homosexual sexual relationships." The Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline explains what forms of punishment is suitable for clergy who step out of the boundaries of the Visions and Expectations.

Meanwhile, the Studies on Sexuality task force recommended a central change in regards to disciplining those who violate the expectations.

“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,” the report stated.

The recommendation to refrain from disciplining was made in light of the controversies surrounding the rising number of cases where ELCA churches bring in actively homosexual pastors without the consent of the larger churchwide body or diocese, and where ELCA bishops knowingly partake in homosexual union celebrations or call in active homosexuals for service.

According to ELCA communications, the recommendation was made “as a pastoral response to the deep divisions in the ELCA.”

In the section explaining the why such recommendations were made, the 14-member task force wrote: "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.”

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

The task force also added that pastoral care should be extended to same-sex couples in a “committed, long term relationship with prayerful support.”

“Surrounding persons or households with prayerful support does not necessarily mean public approval of homosexual sexual intimacy,” it added. “Such an exercise of pastoral care should be understood as a matter quite distinct from and in no way equivalent to marriage."

In general, the task force encouraged the church ministers to be civil and strive to remain in communion with one another despite theological differences.

"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.

It also took note that while the majority of ELCA members seemed to have preferred the current standards, there was neither a consensus nor a general agreement in regards to the practice of homosexuality.

"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 task force’s report is in no way binding; there are several steps that will be taken in regards to the report and in August, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly will decide whether or not to accept the recommendations.

The ELCA’s 10,657 congregations now have a chance to study the report and recommendations and respond directly to synod councils and assemblies. The ELCA Conference of Bishops is also expected to discuss the report while it meets in March 3-8 in Dallas.

The boards of the ELCA Division for Church and Society and the ELCA Division for Ministry will meet at the ELCA headquarters in Chicago on March 10-13. The group will review the report and forward them to the Church Council – the ELCA’s board of directors – with additional comments.

The Church Council will then meet in April to review the report and additional comments, and will prepare a resolution for the 2005 Churchwide Assembly – the ELCA’s highest legislative authority – to take action in regards to the recommendations.

In the meantime, ELCA’s 65 synods will meet separately in synod assemblies, during which each synod will discuss the report and produce resolutions called “memorials.”

The churchwide assembly, meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Aug. 8-14, will then receive the report and recommendations, and will consider the church Council’s resolution, synod memorials and other related papers to cast an official vote on the church’s stance on homosexuality.

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

"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.