Lutherans Pass First Recommendation on Homosexuality
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Friday adopted a recommendation that calls for unity despite divisions over the role of homosexuality in the church.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Friday adopted a recommendation that calls for unity despite divisions over the role of homosexuality in the church. More than 85 percent of the voting members at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly supported the resolution; 851 voted in favor, 127 opposed.
The recommendation is the first of three resolutions on homosexuality to be voted on today at the biennial assembly, which is meeting in Orlando, Fla. And while the first resolution has been the least controversial, conservatives have been cautious in lending their support.
In the long run, its the most problematic because it covers up a fundamental disagreement within the denomination, said Mark Chavez, director of the conservative Word Alone network. There cant be two contradictory interpretations of sex outside of one man and one woman.
I think its like a taking a sedative, he said. Its almost as if the churchwide leadership wants to sedate the denomination so we are unaware of whats happening.
The Word Alone Network is one of a handful of traditional ELCA groups that have been campaigning against the sexuality recommendations in the months leading up the assembly. At the assembly, the groups handed out informational packets on the issue and held Bible Study sessions every morning to pray for their denomination.
According to Chavez, it was expected that the first recommendation would pass. However, the second and third resolutions are harder to tell.
The second recommendation essentially upholds the denominations prohibition against same-sex blessings, but calls on pastors to provide pastoral care to gay couples. Conservatives warn that under this wording, liberal bishops could interpret pastoral care as extending blessings to gay unions.
The third and most hotly contested - recommendation affirms the churchs ban on ordaining sexually active gays and lesbians, but allows bishops and church districts to seek exceptions to the rule. Both conservatives and liberals oppose this recommendation, though for contrasting reasons. Conservative say the recommendation would nullify the churchs standards for ordination; liberals say the recommendation would create a second-class roster for gay pastors.
Voting members will likely take several hours before deciding on the remaining two recommendations because critics issued several amendments, substitutions, and motions to change the woring on the dockets.
And as of 10:30 local time, the delegates were considering an amendment to the second recommendation that would clearly state that blessing same-sex unions would be permissible. That amendment is the first of six motions calling to change the second recommendation; there are 9 motions and amendments for the third recommendation.
Its going to be a long day, said Chavez.
According to a spokesperson from the ELCA, Friday's business session was extended two-and-a-half hours to accommodate the motions.
Even though there are only three recommendations, they are actually dealing with 15 motions, explained spokesperson Melissa Ramirez Cooper.
The motions need a simple majority to pass. The first and second resolutions also needs a simple majority. The third resolution, meanwhile, needs a two-thirds majority to pass.