ELCA Allows Gay Unions, Rejects Gay Clergy
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted Friday to allow the blessing of same-sex unions under certain circumstances but rejected a recommendation to ordain non-celibate gay clergy.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted Friday to allow the blessing of same-sex unions under certain circumstances but rejected a recommendation to ordain non-celibate gay clergy.
After hours of heated debate and discussion over the wording of the two controversial recommendations, members of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted 670-323 to approve the measure on same-sex unions.
The recommendation does not officially change the denomination’s stance on gay marriage. Instead, it urges members to abide by a 1993 statement that prohibits same-sex unions and allows “pastoral care” to same-sex couples. The vague wording of this statement has been interpreted as allowing for exceptions to the prohibition.
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“The blessings door has been swinging back and forth in the ELCA, perhaps since 1993. This assembly has propped the door open firmly. By what authority can the ELCA bless homosexual relationships? Scripture clearly doesn’t authorize sex outside of marriage,” said Rev. Jaynan Clark Egland, president of the conservative WordAlone network, in a press statement.
Both opponents and proponents of blessing same-sex unions tried and failed to get the resolution more specific. And after several hours of votes, assembly adopted one slight change that made the wording even more ambiguous; the amended recommendation dropped the reference to giving pastoral care to “same-sex couples” and in its place included “all to whom [pastors] minister.”
Egland said this amendment does not change the recommendation’s openness to same-sex blessings.
Later in the day, the assembly voted 490 to 503 against a resolution that would give exceptions to the no non-celibate gay clergy rule. It would’ve taken a two-thirds majority to pass.
Conservatives applauded the vote.
“Thankfully, at least the assembly didn’t disregard the authority of God’s Word concerning the standards for church leaders,” said Egland.
However, pro-gay members, wearing rainbow sashes and white T-shirts, filed to the front of the ballroom and stood in front of the podium in protest.
Both proposals came out of recommendations from a Studies on Sexuality task force that was assigned four years ago to find out the role of homosexuality in the church. The third recommendation that called for unity in the church despite differences passed nearly unanimously at 851 to 127.
The debates on homosexuality were the most anticipated at the ELCA churchwide assembly, which is meeting in Orlando, Fla., from Aug. 8-14. Proponents of homosexuality hoped the church would follow in the direction of more liberal counterparts, such as the United Church of Christ that last month adopted a policy statement equating gay marriage to traditional marriage. Conservatives hoped the church would turn back to the traditional understanding of scripture that views homosexuality as sin.
However, in essence, the votes made no real change in ELCA policy. Current policy expects ministers – both homosexual and heterosexual - to refrain from sexual relations outside marriage, which it defines as “a lifelong covenant of faithfulness between a man and a woman.”
At a news conference after the voting, Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said he knew “however the vote turned out, some would be disappointed.” But he added that he “hopes that those disappointed in the votes would not sever their relationship with the church or step back” from their involvement.
I hope that "everyone hears it clearly -- all week as we have discussed publicly and clearly -- that gay and lesbian persons are welcome in this church,” he said.
