The openly gay pastor of the oldest Lutheran church in Atlanta was removed from his position, officials announced on Thursday.
The decision from the Committee on Appeals of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is final but the Rev. Bradley Schmeling, who told St. John's Lutheran congregation last year that he was in a same-sex relationship, doesn't plan to leave the pulpit.
He said on Thursday that he plans to remain minister of St. John's.
"The congregation issued a call to me in 2000 and as far as we are concerned, that hasn't changed," affirmed Schmeling, who said he was deeply disappointed but not surprised. "I plan to continue to follow my call in ministry at St. John's and to pray for the day when all God's children are equally welcomed into the Lutheran church."
"Change has always proven difficult for the church. I continue to hope that the church will be centered in God's message of love, compassion and justice, rather than in the enforcement of discriminatory policies," he said.
ELCA, the largest Lutheran body in the United States, allows gay pastors, but only if they remain celibate.
Schmeling had told the 350-member congregation and his bishop, Ronald Warren, that he is gay before he was chosen as pastor in 2000. When he announced that he had found a lifelong companion, Warren asked the pastor to resign. Schmeling refused and Warren started disciplinary proceedings against him.
A disciplinary committee, which served as the jury, ruled that Schmeling should be allowed to remain on the clergy roster until after ELCA's biennial meeting churchwide assembly Aug. 6-12 in Chicago. The committee also suggested that ELCA remove its policy of forbidding gay pastors to have sexual relations and reinstate gay clergy who were removed or resigned because they were in a same-sex "lifelong partnership."
However, the Committee on Appeals on Monday said the first committee exceeded its authority by suggesting the church should change its policies. The appeals committee ordered Schmeling removed immediately.
In response to the appeals committee decision, Warren wrote in a pastoral letter on Thursday, "My decision to seek Pastor Schmeling's removal from the ministry of this church was difficult because of my deep respect for the pastor and the congregation at St. John's, but the policy of this church is clear."
St. John's members have backed Schmeling and the effort for the denomination to change its rules about sexually active gay clergy at the August assembly. Schmeling's decision to remain in St. John's pulpit could open the congregation to disciplinary action from ELCA.
Like many Protestant denominations, ELCA has been in heated debate over gay clergy and St. John's representatives plan to attend the upcoming churchwide assembly when a vote on allowing active gay ministers is expected.
ELCA is currently drafting a social statement on human sexuality, including homosexuality, based on responses from members nationwide, collected in three separate studies on human sexuality. A proposed social statement on human sexuality is slated for release early 2009.
"As this church continues prayerfully to consider the issue of clergy who are gay or lesbian and in committed relationships, both the synod and I will continue to work on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of our disagreements," said Warren.
Warren and Schmeling conversed on Thursday and agreed that Warren and the synod staff will meet with the executive committee of St. John’s council and the St. John’s congregation in the coming weeks.
Comments
tulseco you are not Saved. You are not in agreement with the Spirit of God on this. You try to find a way to blind the True servants of God by calling us 'judgers' and neglecting of sin in our own lives. Man with Man is sick demented disgusting and a Perversion. God says it is a Abomination. Satan delights in this Abomination for it is the image of God in disgusting and Wicked sexual acts as well as there thinking on the very same level. So there ya go.
the insanity that has taken over our church's , condoning perversion and sin because they like the guy. What has gone wrong with there devotion to God and the Truth??
Peter 4
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime[b] in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
"three separate studies on human sexuality. " Do they ever care for the Word of God...
Divorce is not a sin so long as it is done according to Mathew 19:9.
The church also recognizes 2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
But along side the sin of Homesexuality is the sin of Adultery and the sin of Fornication.They are all to be treated the same.
The Bible makes these things very clear. Homosexuality IS a sin. Divorce IS a sin.
Jesus said, "Go and sin no more" ... we can be forgiven of sin, but that is conditional upon repentance. God does not smile on sin - nor on us when we willfully disobey Him.
What's disturbing to me is not so much that the congregants are supportive of the gay pastor, but that they are supportive of the gay sex that he is engaged in with his "lifelong partner." God created man and woman the way He did for a reason. And, without sounding offensive, you shouldn't drive the wrong way on a one-way street.
To rvonner: The Bible may appear to make things clear, but people pick and choose. Our Lord makes it clear several times that divorce is wrong. Many justified slavery via the Bible's teachings. "Judge not lest ye be judged" is quite clear. We Christians seem to miss this message.
I believe the bible is very clear in regard to this subject.
This article does not say how the congregation feels about the decision of Bishop Ronald Warren to take the actions he has.
Did Bishop Warren need to obtain the permission of the congregation?
I think this was an excellent article. It shows how the church is struggling to keep its orthodox perspective in check. Bravo to the Lutheran church for holding its ground on this very important issue.
I was blocked on a different article as well, and it was completely clean. It kind of stunk, because it was a longer posting.
Anyways, I agree with the actions taken by the Lutheran bishop. Kind of a sticky situation, however.
I don't think you were blocked. Looks like they're having problems with their filter. It picks up anything that even contains profanity, even if it may not be profanity. The word cla ... ss, for example. Hopefully they fix it soon. It's quite annoying actually having to rewrite a comment and scan for anything that might be blocked.
To christian post. I just attempted to respond to the post entitled," gay pastor defrocked." and was told in so many words that what the bible and God for that matter is offensive and to make such posts would cause me to be banned.
I know we live in a time when many are offended at the word of God,even those who claim to speak on behalf of the church. The Word of God has always been offensive to those who reject His word.
As far as banning me from posting, Ban away. I have already banned myself, you are not looking for honesty you want to fit in with the world view of the church.