ELCA Council Discusses Issues Related to Homosexuality

MUNDELEIN, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed a wide variety of issues related to homosexuality and the church in non-legislative sessions July 29. The sessions included small group discussions and presentations from ELCA pastors and members with different points of view on gay and lesbian issues.
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between its churchwide assemblies. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is in August 2001 in Indianapolis.
This is the first time the council has met during a summer in which an assembly was not held. It met July 28-30 here at the Center for Development in Ministry, University of St. Mary on the Lake.
"This is a rare, first-time opportunity for the Church Council not to make a decision,"said the Rev. Michael R. Rothaar. "We hope congregations can find similar ways of discussing similar issues." Rothaar is director for planning and congregational studies, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, Chicago, and served as facilitator for the discussions.
The day-long discussions opened with brief presentations by four pastors: the Rev. Richard C. Little, Advent Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C.; the Rev. Brian H. Hughes, Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, Orinda, Calif.; the Rev. Patricia S. Medley, Hope Lutheran Church, Freehold, N.J.; and the Rev. Leonard R. Klein, Christ Lutheran Church, York, Pa.
Calling homosexuality "a pastoral issue," Little said that Jesus Christ loved tax collectors and adulterers. "I'm not sure the church has looked into the eyes of gays and lesbians and loved them," he said. People who are gay and lesbian are created and redeemed by the Lord, Little said.
The Bible may not provide all of the answers for questions about homosexuality, Little said. He said this is one of those issues in which the church "has to rely on the Holy Spirit."
"We need to look at the Scriptures as a window to God rather than God himself," Little said.
While the church must hold up the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, Little said the church must provide a public way to affirm covenant relationships between homosexuals. He also said the ordination of gay and lesbian people must be "opened up."
"It's important for us to try to discern with the basis of Scripture, but be guided by the Spirit and listen to each other," Little concluded.
Hughes said, despite the ELCA's policies on homosexuality and the ordained ministry, he expects some synods will eventually give their leaders permission to "ignore" such expectations. Presently the ELCA requires all ELCA pastors to abstain from sexual relationships outside of marriage, and defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. Gay and lesbian ELCA pastors are to abstain from homosexual sexual relationships. ELCA bishops have advised pastors they do not approve of same-sex relationship blessing ceremonies, though two ELCA synods this year adopted resolutions that open the door for such ceremonies by pastors in those synods.
"Personally, I am opposed to ordination (of gay and lesbian people in homosexual relationships), and I would not conduct a same-sex union service," said Hughes, who described himself as a "reasonable conservative." "I believe there is biblical basis for such views. We are called to support men and women in marriage."
Hughes said he also understands that, in certain areas where he serves, a gay or lesbian pastor may be able to reach out to many people effectively. "We can agree to disagree," he said. Hughes also raised questions about inconsistencies in ELCA policies. For example, he said the church welcomes gay and lesbian people, but rejects their "leadership gifts" in the ordained ministry.
"I don't believe this conversation serves the church," Hughes said of the debate involving ordination of gay and lesbian people in homosexual sexual relationships. The more significant question is how the church is going to live out its mission to the world, Hughes said.
Hughes added the process of moral deliberation on homosexuality and other issues is divisive because eventually it leads to votes on policies. "That's the issue: Who loses?" he said.
Medley, a pastor for 24 years, said she was called to the ministry to serve all people. "I'm trying to build an inclusive church," she said.
Medley said the congregation she serves was energized as it became involved in the community and began reaching out to all people.
"We are taught that Christians should live a life of chastity," she said. The Lutheran church has offered two choices to its members: heterosexual marriage or celibacy, Medley said. People "don't choose their sexual orientation," she said.
"We need to find a way to invite homosexuals to live publicly with one person and open their lives to the church," she said.
"Perhaps I have to be the unreasonable conservative," Klein said as he began his remarks to the council. When Lutherans evaluate experience, they must "refer it" to Scripture, he said. Klein said that for 27 years, he has presided at weddings. The marriage ceremony in The Lutheran Book of Worship refers to God's creation of male and female, he said.
"God created us male and female for the self-evident interest of transmitting life, " Klein said. Marriage is a vocation to which God calls many, but others are not called to marriage, he said.
"The church has a doctrine of marriage, not a doctrine of committed relationships," Klein said, adding that the church must not bless relationships other than marriage, and it must not ordain gay people. Pastoral care to non-married people must be "charitable, patient and non-judgmental," Klein said.
Should the church decide to embrace blessing same-sex relationships and ordain gay people, Klein warned that resistance and threat of schism in the ELCA will be significant. Opposition will be much greater than current opposition among some Lutherans to the ELCA's full communion agreement with The Episcopal Church, he said.
Some tensions in the church on homosexuality may exist "because we suggest that change is possible in Scripture," Klein said. The church may not have authority or the liberty to make such changes, he said.
"What's happening now has to be enormously intellectually compelling for us to know where the church has to go," Klein concluded.
The clergy presentations were followed by two speakers who met separately with council members to discuss their views. Speakers were Robert Gibeling, representing Lutherans Concerned/North America and a member of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta; and Dottie Ludwig, representing Eagles' Wings Ministry and a member of North Heights Lutheran Church, Roseville, Minn.
Lutherans Concerned is an organization that affirms gay and lesbian people. It says it "seeks to employ the Gospel's principles of inclusiveness and justice, celebrating God's gifts of sexuality and diversity."
In describing his life experiences, Gibeling said the gay and lesbian people he knows are not ignoring the Scriptures.
"We are studying them (Scriptures) intensely," he said. "We are trying to discover what they mean. Gay and lesbian people are looking at inclusion as 'scripturally based.'"
One of the most important things a pastor can do to demonstrate inclusiveness is to publicly state "a positive word" occasionally for gay and lesbian people, he said.
Asked if blessing of homosexual relationships would increase fidelity in such relationships, Gibeling said such ceremonies would help.
"What is missing now for gay and lesbian people is the support of the community," he said. "That's where the church has something to offer."
Eagles' Wings Ministry exists for those wh