ELCA Bishops Question Outreach Division Board Action

CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) -- Several members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) questioned a decision by an ELCA board to "acknowledge" a Lutheran organization that advocates for and promotes the involvement of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people within the Lutheran church.
The ELCA is organized into 65 synods, each headed by a bishop. The ELCA Conference of Bishops is an advisory body to the church, consisting of the church's 65 synod bishops, ELCA presiding bishop and ELCA secretary. The conference met here March 6-11.
The questions were raised in response to an action in September 2002, in which the ELCA Division for Outreach (DO) board formally acknowledged the relationship between Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA) -- an independent Lutheran organization -- and the division. Many bishops suggested the decision may have inadvertently signaled an endorsement by the whole church of a political position and a potential change in ELCA policy related to blessing same gender relationships and ordination standards.
The issue is especially sensitive because the decision was made while the ELCA is involved in a four-year study of homosexuality, bishops suggested. The 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly directed the church to examine questions of blessings of same gender relationships, for which there is no official ELCA policy; and it asked for study of questions about ordaining gay and lesbian people in committed homosexual relationships, presently precluded by ELCA policy. A report with possible recommendations is expected at the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The assembly also asked for a social statement on human sexuality.
A study director and task force were named to complete the project. Leaders of the church have said repeatedly that there is no particular agenda or pre-determined outcome for the studies on sexuality.
The Rev. Theodore F. Schneider, bishop of the ELCA Washington, D.C., Synod, questioned how the church could enter into a partnership with LC/NA if its policies were not in agreement with ELCA policy.
But the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, urged his colleagues to "take a deep breath" and remember that the conference and other groups in the church were already on record in support of welcoming gay and lesbian people.
The outreach board has had "rich relationships" with LC/NA, and its action related solely to the issue of hospitality for gay and lesbian people, and had "nothing to do with other issues," said the Rev. Richard A. Magnus, executive director, ELCA Division for Outreach. That includes the current sexuality studies, Magnus said.
In 1999 LC/NA helped the division develop a resource for the church, "Congregational Hospitality to Gay and Lesbian People," Magnus pointed out.
The Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim, bishop of the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod, Rockford, and advisory bishop to the DO board, said he warned the board before it voted that "it was a terrible time" to vote on acknowledging the LC/NA relationship.
LC/NA represents a particular point of view, said the Rev. Peter E. Strommen, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Minnesota Synod, Duluth, Minn. Recognition of LC/NA and its point of view "empowered" what Strommen called "the entire political geography." "I wish it hadn't been done," he said. "I wish DO had investigated other points of view that DO disagrees with." Strommen is an advisor to the studies on sexuality task force.
Social statements of the church should be consistent with acknowledged organizations, said the Rev. Steven L. Ullestad, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, Waverly, Iowa. "That has not been done," he said.
The DO board's decision demonstrates a structural problem in the ELCA in which groups can speak for the church "without accountability," said the Rev. Wm. "Chris" Boerger, bishop of the ELCA Northwest Washington Synod, Seattle. "The concern I want to express is that the advice of the Conference of Bishops was not sought. I would appreciate the Conference of Bishops being asked."
"The process was correct. The timing created a perception problem," said the Rev. Margaret M. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod, Worcester, Mass. Payne, who chairs the studies on sexuality task force, said she was concerned that the issue may cause people not to discuss sexuality topics at all. She also said she was not in favor of seeking a change in the acknowledgment now. Payne urged her colleagues to turn attention to communication with the task force about such concerns.
While the bishops took no formal action on the matter, several suggestions were offered for them to communicate their concerns about the DO board's action. Magnus said he would discuss the issue with the board's executive committee when it meets in a few weeks. He also suggested bishops could send written messages to the board chair through the Division for Outreach.
Synods may express their concerns about the decision by sending resolutions to the Church Council, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary.

For information contact:
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