ELCA Assembly Poised for Discussion of Sexuality Proposals

ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members at the 2005 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) were formally presented with three three recommendations
on questions related to homosexuality Aug. 10. The
recommendations, which originated with the Studies on Sexuality
task force, were forwarded by the 37-member ELCA Church Council
following a three-year study process. The assembly is on track to
discuss and potentially act upon the recommendations Aug. 12.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here August 8-14 at the World Center
Marriott and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are
participating, including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for
the biennial assembly is "marked with the Cross of Christ
Forever."
First to speak during the recommendations' introduction was
the Rev. James M. Childs, director of the ELCA Studies on
Sexuality. He described the task force's inspiration as stemming
from St. Paul's encouragement to early Christians to "bear one
another's burdens." He said "task force members did that, taking
on the pains, hopes, and fears" of those who engaged the process
and communicated with the task force members.
Childs also said that the task force acted out of a deep commitment to undergird the integrity of its work with open and honest
communication. Recognizing that there is wide disagreement
across the church in the matters concerning homosexuality, Childs
said the task force "was profoundly concerned that we not
squander the work," and it was in this spirit that they strove to
"draw people in, rather than isolate" those who disagreed with
one another.
The proposed recommendations, which were formally read to
the assembly of voting members, may be summarized as follows: In
the first recommendation, the issues at hand are not regarded as
church dividing, urging the ELCA to "find ways to live together
faithfully in the midst of its disagreements." The second
recommends no policy on the blessing of same sex relationships,
but refers to the pastoral guidance of the 1993 statement of the
Conference of Bishops calling for continued dialogue with and
support for those in ministry with gay and lesbian persons. The
third recommendation would keep the church's current standards
regarding sexual conduct for rostered leaders as set forth in
"Vision and Expectations" and "Definitions and Guidelines for
Discipline," but create a process for the sake of outreach,
ministry and the commitment to continuing dialogue, which may
permit exceptions to the expectations regarding sexual conduct
for gay or lesbian candidates and rostered leaders in life-long,
committed and faithful same-sex relationships who otherwise are
determined to be in compliance" with the conduct the church
expects of its ministers.
Current ELCA policy expects ministers to refrain from all
sexual relations outside marriage, which it defines as "a
lifelong covenant of faithfulness between a man and a woman."
The church has no official policy on blessing same-gender
relationships.
The ELCA Church Council, the church's board of directors,
took up task force's three recommendations at its April 2005
meeting and added language for by-law changes designed to
implement the recommendation for the church's rostered leaders
(pastors, diaconal ministers, deacons and associates in
ministry). In summarizing the action of the Church Council,
Carlos Pena, Gavleston, Texas, council chair and ELCA vice
president, said, "Behind each of the views expressed here is the
attempt to help all Christians live as faithful disciples."
When the assembly takes up the three recommendations for
action, it may adopt, amend, substitute other proposals, or
decline to adopt the three that have come from the task force and
the Church Council. The discussion is expected to begin
officially during a quasi committee of the whole, scheduled for
Aug. 11.
Under the rules governing the action upon these
recommendations, which were determined by the assembly itself in
a lengthy opening plenary session, the first two recommendations
as proposed require a simple majority vote, and the third,
involving constitutional changes, would require a two-thirds
majority of those present and voting.
The Rev. Margaret G. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England
Synod and chair of the sexuality studies task force, also
addressed the assembly, telling voting members and assembly
visitors that "for the purpose of the study, God had given her
the gift of no opinion," but she also explained that before the
study process began, she had an opinion that she used "like a
sword" in discussions involving homosexuality, often verbally
cutting those with whom she disagreed.
She then told the assembly "When I began my work, I sheathed
my sword." Along the way, she continued, "I took my sword out to
take a look at it, and I discovered much to my surprise that the
sword had turned into a plow." Payne indicated that even though
she still did not totally agree with other members of the task
force, through the listening process of the study, she discovered
that "this is what she has been asking others to do."
---
Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

For more information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news