Commentary; Posted: 8/10/05
Lutheran Assembly votes on sensitive topics
Rev. John C. Blackford,
Religion Columnist
ìMarked With The Cross of Christ Foreverî is the theme of the National Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which is being held in Orlando, FL this week, August 8-14. Leaders from the nationís largest Lutheran denomination, with 10,657 congregations and 4,984,925 baptized members and Minnesotaís second-largest church body, are meeting to consider a number of significant issues, several of which have caught the publicís attention.
A total of 1018 voting members, approximately half-clergy and half-laity, from 65 synods or districts, are deciding guidelines that will shape the future ministry of the denomination. Area churches will be represented by a group of members.
Among the topics before the Assembly are a new Book of Worship, the interim sharing of holy communion with the United Methodist Church as a step toward full communion, and the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of non-celibate gay and lesbian people. An article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune for July 7 announced ìThe churchís response to same-sex unions is making headlines.î
In April, a church council made the following proposals for consideration by the Assembly:
ï The congregations would continue to welcome and affirm gay and lesbian members.
ï In line with an action taken in 1993, not to recommend the blessing of same-sex marriages, but permitting exceptions in individual congregations. These proposals have been affirmed at synods around the country and it is anticipated they will be accepted by a simple majority in the Assembly.
ï The bishops may be authorized to ordain for ministry non-celibate gay or lesbian candidates who are living in a committed relationship, or rostered lay leaders (teachers, deacons.) Previously, the church stipulated that gays or lesbians seeking ordination remain celibate. This proposal will probably require a two-thirds vote for approval by the Assembly.
Early in July, the United Church of Christ in Atlanta overwhelmingly voted to ìaffirm equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender,î and thus became the first mainline denomination and the largest Christian denomination in the world, to approve same-sex marriage. Later in the month, Canada legalized same-sex marriages, becoming the fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples. Observers are speculating how much the Assembly will be influenced by these actions.
The U.S. government does not recognize same-sex marriage and most states do not acknowledge marriage certificates from gay and lesbian couples, regardless of where they wed. Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay marriages; Vermont and Connecticut have approved same-sex civil unions.
Bishop Peter Rogness of the ELCAís St. Paul Area Synod, said recently he hopes the Assembly ìcan avoid a pitched battle between the two poles of the argument,î and that the ìbroad middleî will be sought in this high-profile nature of issues involving religion and sexuality.
A great number of people and groups are awaiting the decisions of the ELCA National Assembly. Whatever the final outcome, the results will be far-reaching for both Lutherans and non-Lutherans.
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