Social Statements / Human Sexuality

ELCA Churchwide Assembly Action CA95.06.59

Passed by the 1995 Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Resolved

1. To affirm the call of the synods:
   
   a. for commendation of all those who participated in the development and who commented on the draft statements on human sexuality;
   
   b. for our leaders and members to practice and teach biblical and confessional guidance for speaking the truth in love in matters of faith and life, as this church continues to discuss matters of human sexuality;
   
   c. for mutual repentance and forgiveness for those instances in which our actions in our debate on human sexuality may have harmed members of the body of Christ;
    
2. a. To convey to the Sierra Pacific, Western North Dakota, Eastern North Dakota, South Dakota, Central States, Metropolitan Chicago, Northeastern Iowa, Indiana-Kentucky, and Southwestern Pennsylvania synods the August 1995 report of the Division for Church in Society and the Church Council on the process for the development of a possible social statement on human sexuality as a response to their memorials;
   
   b. To refer the memorials of these synods to the Division for Church in Society as it continues its work related to human sexuality and to the review and possible revision of the ELCA’s process for the development of all social statements;
   
   c. To affirm the existing deliberative process for a continued discussion of human sexuality and thus to decline to consider Churchwide Assembly action on the specific language contained in the memorials from various synods; and
    
3. To affirm the existing plan approved by the Church Council to review the process for the development of social statements in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, including the issues of the future development of any social statements and the appropriate roles of task forces, boards, Church Council, Conference of Bishops, theological faculties, and congregations in this process.