In an unprecedented social statement on human sexuality, a task force of the nation's largest Lutheran denomination said the church should continue to uphold marriage between a man and a woman.
It is the first draft – released Thursday for review by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – of a long-awaited statement on family, marriage, sexual morality and the Bible.
"This church recognizes the historic origin of the term 'marriage' as a life-long and committed relationship between a woman and man, and does not wish to alter this understanding," the Draft Social Statement on Human Sexuality stated.
Although the draft upholds traditional marriage, it did not condemn same-sex unions. The panel – comprised of Lutheran clergy, lay people and academics – acknowledged that the denomination had yet to reach consensus on such unions even after years of study and conversation.
Recognizing that there are congregations that regard same-gender sexual relationships as sinful and others that do not, the panel encouraged mutual respect and for congregations to welcome and care for "same-gender-oriented" people and their families.
"In their pastoral response, some pastors and congregations will advocate repentance and celibacy. Other pastors and congregations will call our same-gender-oriented brothers and sisters in Christ to establish relationships that are chaste, mutual, monogamous, and lifelong. These relationships are to be held to the same rigorous standards and sexual ethics as all others," the statement said.
The document further expressed regret that some have used Lutheran historical teachings concerning homosexuality to "tear apart families with gay or lesbian members."
"This church must work toward more understanding of the varieties of sexual identities, seeking for that which is positive and life-giving while protecting from all that is harmful and destructive."
Both a pro-gay group and theological conservatives expressed disappointment in the ELCA draft statement.
Emily Eastwood, executive director of Lutherans Concerned/North America, which represents gays and lesbians, said the draft merely urges respect and tolerance and does not provide religious rites for homosexual couples to make a lifelong commitment, as reported by The Associated Press.
Mark Chavez, who heads the conservative WordAlone Network, argued that the document could be used to let local synods set their own policies on gay clergy.
But the Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director of ELCA Church in Society, stressed that Lutherans do not make up a "rule book of right and wrong behaviors."
Instead, "Lutherans seek to help people make ethical decisions in the midst of the messiness of life," she said, according to the ELCA News Service.
Chicago Bishop Wayne Miller praised the task force for keeping the conversation alive and not recommending changes in policy, although such changes may grow out of the statement.
"There's room for us to grow, but it doesn't dictate that for us," Miller said, according to The Chicago Tribune.
The document is intended to guide the 4.8 million members in setting policy and forming judgments about social issues, officials said.
The panel, nevertheless, highlighted that Scripture is the basis for Christian ethics.
It acknowledged that Scripture passages can be abused and misunderstood through selective use as a moral guide, especially on the topic of sexuality.
Scripture should be interpreted in light of human experience, culture and society's changing circumstances, the panel stated. "The Lutheran tradition, then, is open to human knowledge insofar as it encourages the good of the neighbor, protects against harm, and does not make false claims about God. In this light, human knowledge about sexuality, such as that found in medicine and the social and physical sciences, can teach us about healthy practice and provide new insights."
Chavez of WordAlone criticized the document's reliance on sources beyond Scripture. And he believes the document not only doesn't resolve anything, but will also make things worse.
The Rev. Paull Spring of State College, Pa., chair of the conservative Lutheran CORE Steering Committee said the statement seems to have left out some key passages from the Bible.
“Lutherans have traditionally addressed sexuality biblically by starting with creation and noting that God created humans male and female," he said. "The draft statement seems to have avoided those biblical passages and that perspective of human sexuality. There is a surprising absence of procreation as a purpose of marriage."
The draft did not discuss ELCA policies that currently bar practicing homosexual clergy. Recommendations on that controversial issue will be made next year.
Responses to the first draft are being received until November. After revisions, the statement along with the proposal on clergy standards will be presented for a vote at the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly in 2009.
Comments
"Scripture should be interpreted in light of human experience, culture and society's changing circumstances, the panel stated. "The Lutheran tradition, then, is open to human knowledge.."
Well THERE's your problem! No wonder they're clueless.
Isa 55:6-9 "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. "
GMG,
You said ""Love your neighbor" does not release us, it binds us to God's will. Grace is for when we fall, it is not a license to blithely ignore God's will."
Amen! Amen! That is the truth! But those who love the darkness will not believe that. They will not accept that. Because that light shines into their darkness and exposes the sin.
feet
>>>the three commandments never intended to do away with the law. but by doing them we could fulfill the law.................. to do as christ did."<<<
Matt 5:17-18 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
John 12:49-50 "For I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."
John 15:9-10 "As the Father loved me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love".
Matt 22:37-40 "You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
As stated in Romans 13, "Love..." is the SUMMATION of the law.
Christ teaches that love is the basis of obedience, and obedience demonstrates love (as in John 15:9-10 above).
Furthermore, the apostles' teachings (Bible) were the teachings of Christ: John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
So, if Christ taught what His Father told Him to teach, and the apostles taught what Christ told them to teach (which we have in the Bible), then we are bound to God's/Christ's commandments through love. If you are a child of Christ's, then you will "...press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:14) This you do for love.
"Recognizing that there are congregations that regard same-gender sexual relationships as sinful and others that do not, the panel encouraged mutual respect and for congregations to welcome and care for "same-gender-oriented" people and their families."
I see this man walking towards a cliff. But our of 'respect' I do not warn him. After all, I may be wrong.
No. The Bible clearly teaches that homosexual relationships are wrong. And if I love those who are caught up in this sin, I will warn them, not 'respect' the lies they believe in.
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness?
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness?
the three commandments never intended to do away with the law. but by doing them we could fulfill the law.................. to do as christ did.
That's right feet, all those commandments are about doing harm to your neighbor. You wouldn't want anyone to harm you in those ways, after all, you love yourself. So, if you love your neighbor as you love yourself, you won't break the commandments.
romans 13:8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"[a] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
feet
Indeed, love is the fulfillment of the law.
Rom13:9 For the commandments, "you shall not commit adultery," "you shall not murder," "you shall not steal," "you shall not bear false witness," "you shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are ALL SUMMED UP in this saying, namely, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
"Love your neighbor" does not release us, it binds us to God's will. Grace is for when we fall, it is not a license to blithely ignore God's will.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
Rom 1:27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Rom 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Grace and Peace,
Jim
Star - for the record, I do listen to you because I don't believe that is what was meant by those verses in the Bible - but see, that's what a literal interpretation gets you.
Star2 - You're a woman, aren't you? So I guess I shouldn't even be listening to you.
reedit i meant all of romans.......................... not just romans1
my understnding is that there is only one word of god. it is the covenant of christ. it is the spirit of christ. it is christ who is god, and whom god the father put everything under his authority.
christ came here to fulfill the law.
in romans,fulfillment of the law is love.
since loving ones neighbor as onesself is the summation of the law. do we not ourselves fulfill the law when we love our neighbors as ourselves?
which is greater fulfilling the law which we automatically do by loving.........and by fulfilling automatically follow. , or instead consuming ourselves with merely following a list of do nots. paul said we receive no righteousness by following the law.
1cor13 says that anything without love is nothing. and anything done without love gains nothing.
if we do the three commandments: love god. love god, neighbor and self, and one another the way christ loved us ....... is there anything else required?
CONTINUED
paul says we are no longer under the law, and that NOW we are to be led by and serve of the spirit.
instead of say ing this is a law and this is a law....................should we instead not be asking how does this comes against loving our neighbor as ourselves. what is the spirit of this? does this action also produce the fruit of the spirit?.
if we say i personally know no homosexuals or homosexual couples but i know they cannot possibly love themselves or each other the way heterosexuals do...............................is that doing the three commandments of love?
as i said before paul acts of the sin nature are obvious, in other words by their very nature are self explanatory. that is because obviously, they are void of the fruit of the spirit..........................love, joy peace, kindness etc
how can there be a "god's word" that trumps the authority of christ?
13By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear..
its is interesting ..........................but it appears that the reason that romans 1( an explanation of the covenant of christ) has not been fully embraced, is because to do so would one would to say................".if romans is true then homosexuality is not a sin."
but because christendom chose the reverse, even after 2000 years, they are still living under the law.
the book of the bible that led believers to commit transgressions, will be the same one which will end it.
I think Pilate was trying to walk that yellow line in the middle of the road too.