Lutheran Church Votes on Sexuality Statements

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter
Saturday, August 13, 2005

After hours of debate and wrangling, voting members at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s churchwide assembly yesterday re-affirmed the ban on non-celibate gay clergy but left same-sex union blessings up to individual pastors and churches.

With a 670-323 vote, the delegates approved the measure on same-sex unions. The measure urges members to abide by a 1993 statement that prohibits same-sex unions but allows for exceptions under “pastoral care.”

Both proponents and opponents of gay marriage tried but failed to amend the ambiguous wording of the measure. The one change that was approved dropped the reference to giving pastoral care to “same-sex couples” to include “all to whom [pastors] minister.”

Later that day, voting members rejected a resolution 490-503 a resolution that would give exceptions to the no non-celibate gay clergy rule. It would’ve taken a two-thirds majority to pass.

In addition, the 87 percent of the voting members passed a resolution that called for unity despite differences on the issue of homosexuality.

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