The Atlanta pastor at the heart of the homosexual clergy debate in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has returned to the pulpit. And the Atlanta congregation is ecstatic.
A day after the nation's largest Lutheran denomination voted to encourage its bishops to practice "restraint" in disciplining gay ministers who are in “faithful” same-sex relationships, St. John's Lutheran Church – Atlanta's oldest Lutheran church – celebrated Sunday the continuing pastorship of the Rev. Bradley Schmeling.
Earlier this year, Schmeling, who announced that he found a lifelong gay companion, was ordered to be removed immediately from the clergy roster. The order by the Committee on Appeals overruled an earlier decision by a disciplinary committee which said Schmeling should be allowed to remain on the clergy roster until after ELCA's biennial churchwide assembly, Aug. 6-12. The committee also suggested that ELCA reinstate gay clergy who were removed or resigned because they were in a same-sex "lifelong partnership."
Despite the removal, Schmeling refused to leave St. John's and said he planned to continue to follow his call in ministry there.
Furthermore, although the gay clergy debate was expected to come up in 2009, Schmeling was a major part of the push at this year's assembly to lift the ban on non-celibate homosexual clergy.
Although a vote last Friday fell short of approving a change to the current clergy policy, the assembly voted 538 to 431 the next day to pray for, urge, and encourage bishops to refrain from disciplining people and congregations who call qualified leaders in "chaste and faithful" same-gender relationships to ELCA’s professional rosters. It also urged the same restraint on leaders who are already on the official rosters and in committed same-sex relationships.
Regarding Saturday’s passed resolution, ELCA’s presiding bishop, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, highlighted the words "prays, urges, and encourages" as "words of counsel" for synods and bishops considering what actions to take when confronted with non-celibate gay clergy.
"They are not words that change the standards of the church … or the guidelines for discipline,” he said. “But they reflect the mind of this assembly as it seeks to give counsel to the leaders of this church."
Still, conservatives say the vote contradicts church policy and allows gay clergy to ignore the standards of the church.
"Any time you start ignoring God's word on matters, you better watch out because you're in dangerous territory," said the Rev. Mark Chavez, director of the conservative Word Alone Network, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Jaynan Clark Egland, president of Word Alone Network, called it a double standard for discipline.
"I don't know as a Christian, as a pastor and as a parent, what really would be worse – a church with no biblical standards to govern our ministry or standards we don't intend to enforce," said Egland. "To refrain from discipline in the home is bad parenting, but we're about to do so in the Christ's church."
The assembly decided to postpone a more concrete decision on gay clergy until 2009, when the Task Force on Studies of Sexuality is expected to propose a social statement on human sexuality based on responses from congregants across the denomination collected in a comprehensive study.
Still, Schmeling praised the latest decision by the assembly, calling it a "crack in the dam," according to The Associated Press.
Schmeling will continue to pastor St. John's although he will stay off the clergy roster. Since he plans to remain with St. John's, he said his removal from the clergy roster will have no effect unless he tries to move to another congregation.
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Regarding the whole gay and lesbian pastors issue. At one time I wanted to be a pastor and felt called to be one so I asked my grandfather who is a pastor how he knew he was called and he told me to wait upon the Lord. Not the answer I quite wanted but I prayed and meditated about it and during that process it was revealed to me areas in my life that did not line up with the character and Words of God. This was a big sign for me. God still had some burning of the chaff on this piece of wheat to do before taking on the awesome responsibility of being a shepherd to others. The responsibility of being a pastor is so huge that to not pray and meditate and wait upon the Lord would be a huge mistake. To be honest I was sad when I got my answer but it only showed the Love of God for my soul He had in mind. I don't know if the lesbian and gay pastors put their will before God's will in becoming a pastor but one thing I do know is God is perfect and He does not contradict Himself. Please pray for me that God will continue to purify my heart as I desire to be a pastor but in His time and will.
Well said tpique1
Those who associate with that kind of faith will not realize when the landslide comes.
Many are called few are chosen.
Friend, when we stand before God one day He is not going to ask us if we were called into ministry or were we "nice" (though "niceness" extends from His love), He will ask us if we did His will - not our will.
God is the standard, not deacon boards and church councils. He's also not contradictory. He doesn't stipulate what sin is in His Word and then turns around again and then contradicts Himself and then permits it. This is evidence of men's attempt to project on God a cultural norm rather than using the infallible Word of God as the standard by which we judge ourselves.
Culture is not a litmus for righteousness - the Word of Almighty God is. And if we choose to rebel against that Word we will not be accountable to church leadership on the Day of Judgment - they are not the last say in the matters of heaven - we will stand before God. And nothing, according to His Word, is hidden from His eyes.
Finally, judging is of the uttmost importance in matters of the Church. And the Bible plainly says that if we judge a matter it should be judged using righteous judgment not "self"-righteous judgment. The first is a matter of judging the actions within the Body of Christ based on the holy standard of the Word of God, while the second is using the moral inventions of men to test a church matter. The first is God's righteousness while the second is man's righteousness.
Jesus is speaking of hypocritical jugment in Matthew 7, the text you are most assuredly referencing. Verse 5 gives the clue: "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
In other words, first get right with God,and then you will see clearly to judge a matter as right or wrong, holy or profane.
God is love my friend, but he is equally and morally just. His love and justice are a balance. He does not forfeit love for justice nor justice for love. Perfectly He will judge sin and perfectly He will love the sinner.
Finally, I would warn you and your congregation, assuming your pastor is the one in the article: Return quickly to the place of refuge that is the Word of God before it's too late. Love your pastor, yes, but keep the standard of righteousness and uphold it or you will become like Shiloh and the words Ichabod will be written above your church's door too.
All we can ever do is lovingly warn. But "vengence is mine saith the Lord."
I am a 25+ year member of St. John's. I'm not gay. I've been a Lutheran since birth.
Reasonable, God-fearing, truth-seeking, Bible-studying, thoughtful Christians can disagree on whether homosexuality in a loving, committed, lifelong relationship is a sin or not. Assuming that it is a sin, but since we're all sinners, reasonable people can also disagree whether this sin prevents one from begin called as a pastor. Examples of these reasonable people abound.
In our church, we try hard not to judge, just as Jesus has commanded. We try to welcome everyone as a child of God and who longs and needs a relationship with God and his only Son.
St. John's isn't known for its bake sales. It's known for being a wonderful, loving faith community where people grow in their faith and serve others. The most amazing faith community I've ever been a part of. I'm convinced that my pastor has been called by God to be a pastor.
So...Schmeling, the "defrocked" homosexual pastor? What a contradiction in terms? The fact is...something smells within the ECLA!! The Lutheran Church...arggh!! ICHABOD!!!! The Glory has gone, and the congregation is ecstatic??? We need to repent in sackcloth and ashes. The Lutherans are prime target #1 for following after the Beast!!!
He's returned to the pulpit, with the church's blessing on his fornication... "Oh, it's a LIFELONG partner! Oh, well, THAT'S ok, then. Carry on." Lunacy. *sigh*
I totally agree with your comment and couldn't have said it any better myself. I'm disgusted and grieved, my spirit groans heavily.
When the Holy Spirit has left a church, Ichabod is written over the door. That church may continue on in its usual unbiblical fashion - patting itself on the back for its community outreaches, bake sales, and social causes, but the power of God will not be present in its members nor within its walls. It will have become a dead religious exercise with no power and no spiritual authority. And when all is shaken that can be shaken its bankruptcy will be seen by all as a lifeless facade.
Christianity is not merely a “title” given to those who give mental ascent to Jesus Christ; it’s one who follows His teachings and walks in His footsteps. Those that preach about the passive, loving, non-confrontational Christ today would do well to read the Words of our Lord when He said: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Mat 7:21-23.
Notice it’s in the “knowing Christ” and in “doing God’s will” that we are saved, not in merely labeling ourselves a Christian. The Lord knows those who are His, and He said that he will separate the sheep from the goats - The one to eternal life; the other to eternal damnation.
Regardless of the apostasies of men, each of us will stand before the Holy One of Heaven and will be judged by the fire of His Word and whether we kept it. Semantics and lawyer tricks will not be admissible in Heaven’s courtroom, because the fire from the eyes of God sees all and exposes all, and all will be without excuse.
Let the charlatans continue on in their utter depravity and open rebellion against God. Each act is being recorded against them against the Day of Judgment when on that day mercy will be sought and only outer darkness will be had.