Church tackles sexuality

The Episcopal Church is not the only religious community trying to deal with the conflict between human sexuality and Christian theology.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest denomination of Lutherans in the U.S. with about 4.7 million members, also is confronting the idea that gay and lesbian people in "publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships" should have full participation in the life of the church, and the opportunity to enjoy a church- sanctioned marriage.

The Evangelical Lutheran's annual Churchwide Assembly begins Monday in Minneapolis. Among the agenda items is a proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality that recognizes prejudice against gays and lesbians, acknowledges their positive contributions and calls for "structured flexibility" in permitting them to obtain rostered positions in the church.

The social statement does not mandate any policy changes or recommend that an official liturgical rite should be created. Rather, it asks whether the church wants to find ways to recognize same-sex relationships instead of disqualifying gays and lesbians from full participation in the life of the church.

The statement explicitly calls on Lutherans "to bear one another's burdens, love the neighbor and respect the bound consciences of all," including those who disagree with the proposal. This means that individual churches, ministers or Lutheran organizations need not ordain gay and lesbian ministers or sanction same-sex unions.

The report on ministry policy was produced by a special task force assigned the job of reviewing church policy at the 2007 Churchwide Assembly. The task force was directed "to address and make recommendations to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly on changes to any policies that preclude practicing homosexual persons from the rosters of this church." The report "represents the best thinking of the task force," and was "supported by a strong majority of the task force, although not all agreed with all aspects."

A two-thirds majority is required to pass its resolutions.

Some Lutherans object, in part or in whole, to the proposed social statement. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a theologically conservative Lutheran denomination of about 2.4 million members, has condemned recent actions of the Evangelical Lutherans concerning homosexuality.

"We in the LCMS hold firmly to the conviction that, according to the Holy Bible, homosexual behavior is 'intrinsically sinful,'" it said in a public statement. "We are deeply disappointed that the ELCA … has failed to act in keeping with the historic and universal understanding of the Christian church regarding what Holy Scripture teaches about homosexual behavior as contrary to God's will and about the biblical qualifications for holding the pastoral office."

Others commend the social statement for deeming committed same-sex relationships just as legitimate as heterosexual unions, but say the task force fell short.

"The proposed social statement, having extolled the unique benefits to couples, church and society of committed relationships, fails to proffer a means of public recognition of same-gender relationships, no rite of blessing or marriage. (An) unacceptable but correctable inconsistency," said Emily Eastwood, executive director of Lutherans Concerns/North America, in a public statement.

Eastwood said the mechanism enabling those "bound by their conscience" to oppose ordination or service of gays and lesbians could encourage institutionalized discrimination at the synod level.

"Clearly, the Lutheran Church has ample room for conscience-bound opposition, but that ought to lie at the congregational level," she said.

The Rev. Dr. Herman R. Yoos, bishop of the South Carolina Synod, wrote in an open letter that he has been "wrestling with scripture, tradition and our Lutheran theology" for years, and has concluded that marriage is "a gift (from God) of a lifelong faithful relationship of husband and wife." But even traditional marriage can be riddled with sinfulness.

"Because of this brokenness (caused by original sin), nothing is as God intended," Yoos wrote. "Therefore, I believe that one's sexual orientation is not primarily a conscious choice, but rather is a deeply ingrained part of one's identity. It seems to me that gays and lesbians no more choose their sexual orientation than heterosexuals do."

Since gays and lesbians are victims of discrimination and injustice, the church has an obligation to lend its support, he wrote.

"For me, this takes nothing away from God's gift of marriage as God's first intention for creation, but it does allow for the recognition of a deep bond of intimate trust that can be found among same-gendered couples who want to live in faithful committed relationships."

Yoos, who will attend the meeting in Minneapolis, wrote that he plans to vote in favor of the first resolution, which calls on Lutherans "to find ways to allow congregations and synods that choose to do so to recognize and support and hold publicly accountable lifelong, monogamous, same gender relationships."

But he will vote against the other resolutions that advocate for "structured flexibility" in allowing for ordination of gays and lesbians.

"For me, ordination is not a justice issue, nor an issue of civil rights; but it is an issue of spiritual discernment and accountability," he wrote.

The 2009 Churchwide Assembly ends Aug. 23.