Pastoral letter from Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson

Shrimp here. ELCA Rostered Leaders are receiving the following in their e-mail inboxes today.
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September 23, 2009

Dear Colleague in Ministry,

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." (Colossians 3:15-16a)

I give thanks to God for your faithful leadership and your committed partnership in the gospel. I am mindful of the varied responses to churchwide assembly actions on human sexuality -- joy, anger, hope, confusion, ambivalence, perhaps even detachment. In this letter please join me in reflecting on our witness together as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, particularly as we continue to live into the implications of assembly actions.

I am encouraged by the thoughtful and prayerful conversations of people with diverse perspectives who are gathering to discern what the assembly actions regarding human sexuality mean for our continuing life and witness.

My heart rejoices with those who are ready to live into the future of our shared mission. Many who had remained strongly engaged in the ELCA with their time, talent and treasure, despite feeling marginalized or unwanted, now feel more fully embraced.

My heart aches as I listen to the pain and distress of those who feel confused or even abandoned by others, not only in the decisions of the churchwide assembly but also in the decisions that are being made in congregations and by individuals.

I am disappointed that some are encouraging congregations and members to take actions that will diminish our capacity for ministry -- for example, to plant and renew congregations, to raise up and train leaders in seminaries and campus ministries, to send missionaries, to respond to hunger at home and abroad, and to rebuild communities after natural disasters.

Although these actions are promoted as a way to signal opposition to churchwide assembly actions or even to punish the voting members who made them, the result will be wounds that we inflict on ourselves, our shared life, and our mission in Christ. And yet, as devastating as such actions could be for our shared life and for our global and ecumenical partners, my greatest sadness would be if we missed this opportunity: to give an evangelical and missional witness together to the world.

Therefore, I urge each one of you to make this a time to engage one another with honesty and respect in renewed and deepened theological conversation informed by an evangelical, missional imagination. We have the opportunity to think evangelically and act missionally about:

• Faithfulness: Questions about whether the ELCA has become faithless or heretical are opportunities to re-examine what it is that fills a community with faith. It becomes an opportunity to rediscover who makes us full of faith. Our goal as Lutherans is faithfulness that is both evangelical and missional.


• Biblical authority: This is a marvelous moment to deepen our engagement with Scripture through the Book of Faith initiative. We can be renewed in our understanding of the authority of God's Word. It is the power to author -- that is, create -- a justifying and living faith in Jesus Christ. Again the goal is a true understanding of the Scripture's evangelical and missional authority.


• What it means to be Christ's church: In this moment let us not build walls of separation. Together let us be living stones, built into a spiritual house, with Christ Jesus the cornerstone, and proclaim the mighty deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Both universally and locally the church is gathered around the means of grace and engaged in mission in Jesus' name. Our goal as Lutherans is a witness that the church is evangelical and missional.


• Leadership: How we serve in our varied callings and contexts as evangelical leaders of a church in mission calls for shared wisdom and encouragement rather than isolation or separation into like-minded enclaves. The church is a community of faith that is born of the Gospel promise and therefore has authority in the proclamation of the Word -- all the authority that is needed for evangelical, missional leadership.


• Law and gospel: All of these opportunities for conversation call for a renewed commitment to deepening our fluency in what Martin Luther called "the highest art among Christians," distinguishing between law and gospel. Let us be valued allies in this endeavor and not adversaries in a power struggle for control of a church body, synods, and congregations.

While we engage in these important conversations let our evangelical, missional imagination be marked by the signs of a church that lives in faith, hope, and love through:

• a continual dwelling in the Word of God and prayer
• listening that is fully attentive to others, especially to those with whom we disagree
• leadership committed to and focused on mission
• a commitment to remain in respectful and caring relationship with one another
• patient waiting on and breathing in the Spirit, remembering Jesus' command to his disciples to "stay until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49)
• the creation of safe places for conversation, where it is safe to articulate deeply held biblical, confessional, and theological convictions, where it is safe both to affirm and admonish one another, and where it is safe to explore the questions that come with faithful service and witness
• an elasticity rather than rigidity in our ways of supporting and carrying out ministry and mission

Specifically, I ask for restraint from decisions that may separate us from one another prematurely, for bearing one another's burdens in continued conversation, and for the long-suffering patience that frees us to remain together in mission. In his two letters to the very conflicted church in Corinth Paul repeatedly spoke of their unity in Christ and in the Holy Spirit. He also spoke of their calling to care for each other as members of one body and to use their spiritual gifts for the common good. Our attentive listening to one another and patient waiting for the Spirit's work in these conversations will be a powerful witness.

In my opening sermon and oral report to the churchwide assembly I asked, "What shall be our witness? What story shall we tell?" I believe those questions remain central for us as ministry is carried out in our varied contexts and in our life together as the ELCA.

I concluded my reflections at the end of the assembly with this conviction that sustains me in my leadership and gives me confident hope: "We finally meet one another not in our agreements or disagreements, but at the foot of the cross, where God is faithful, where Christ is present with us, and where, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are one in Christ."

In that promise I remain your servant in Christ,

Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop

Find related resources at http://www.elca.org/faithfulmission,
including a new video message that will be posted after 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 24.

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Shrimp again, thinking that this "opportunity" Bishop Hanson is the kind of conversation we at Shellfish and many, many other have been trying to engage in since (okay, he says he wants to "engage one another with honesty and respect in renewed and deepened theological conversation informed by an evangelical, missional imagination," so we offer this with all due honesty and respect for the Office of Presiding Bishop) his election in 2001.

We here at Shellfish appreciate that he's finally interested in the conversation. But if Pastor Zip's observation on "trust" (posted last April) is in any way representative, we suspect Presiding Bishop Hanson should prepare to be disappointed. Shrimp out.

The Philadelphia Seminary Speaks

LTSP Statement on actions by ELCA Churchwide Assembly

Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met in Minneapolis the week of August 17 to worship, pray, deliberate, and make decisions on issues for the church that were raised for their consideration. As a school of the ELCA, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) is effected by the decisions made by church leaders, though not in ways that you might think if you followed press coverage of the assembly.

Many resolutions adopted by the assembly align with the seminary’s mission to raise leaders for the church in the world, and LTSP’s commitment to raise leaders schooled in public theology and witness. The assembly adopted resolutions committing the church to raise $10 million dollars to support the ELCA HIV and AIDS strategy, a ministry of caring for those victims of HIV/AIDS, and their friends and family, worldwide. The assembly through a memorial recognized the work of the Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Seminaries (LTSP, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary) through Project Connect, which is an effort to encourage young adults to consider that God might be calling them to public ministry, and Project Connect’s work to actively invite and include people of color and those whose primary language is other than English in the exploration and discernment process which can lead to them becoming leaders in the church.

The assembly also overwhelmingly adopted a full communion agreement with the United Methodist Church (EMC). The ELCA has already entered in full communion with the Reformed Church in America, Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Moravian Church and United Church of Christ, while this is the first full communion partner for the UMC. As a school that is ecumenical as well as Lutheran, and includes students from some 30 traditions including those who are members of full communion partners, this is another step taken by the ELCA that brings us together as leaders of the church of Jesus Christ in this world.

The news stories coming out of Minneapolis, though, were mostly centered on the Social Statement on Human Sexuality, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” and changes in Ministry Policies of the ELCA that open the ministry of the church to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships. As a school that raises leaders for the church, the statement and policy changes will no doubt have an effect on our mission and ministry as a seminary of the ELCA and as a seminary that is wholly ecumenical.

Social statements “guide us as we step forward as a public church because they form the basis for both this church's public policy and my public speech as presiding bishop,” the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, told the assembly. “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” is the ELCA's 10th social statement, and addresses a spectrum of topics relevant to human sexuality from a Lutheran perspective, and was developed by a task force and discussed throughout the ELCA based on a directive from the 2001 Churchwide Assembly.

Passage of the changes in Ministry Policies, opening ministry in the ELCA to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships, has started a process, through the ELCA Division of Vocation and Education, to develop policies to carry out the changes passed by the assembly. These policy changes will be referred to church governing bodies, possibly by the end of 2009. For the seminary, the changes in Ministry Policies may effect students as they determine their sense of call and choose a seminary in which to pursue their call to rostered ministry in the ELCA. It is the mission of the seminary to educate those who have chosen to pursue rostered ministry, to prepare those leaders academically, and to certify that those leaders have been academically prepared. The national church maintains the roster of all professional leaders in the church, and through the candidacy process, individual synods, and, ultimately, congregations evaluate students for rostering and carrying out the process that places individuals in rostered ministry.

Learn more about Project Connect at www.projectconnect.org
Learn more about ELCA Churchwide Assembly and actions taken by the Assembly at www.elca.org/cwa
New 8/27/09 The ELCA has just posted a brief summary of the actions taken by the Assembly: www.elca.org/assembly/summary
New 9/5/09 The ELCA has posted a message from Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson and background and other material online to help explain "What Does It Mean" www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Faithful-Mission.aspx

Updated 8/7/09 to add link to Assembly summaries, 9/5/089 to include new ELCA materials

Wartburg Seminary Speaks

A Statement from Wartburg Seminary about the ELCA Decisions Regarding Human Sexuality
click for original pdf document
In light of decisions made at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly in August, 2009 regarding a social statement on human sexuality and the rostering of homosexual persons in covenanted partnerships, representatives of Wartburg Theological Seminary have been asked about our response to the Assembly and how we will proceed in our institutional mission. There are many policies yet to be developed and many decisions to be made about how the Churchwide Assembly actions will affect our mission. It will take time as a seminary to decide these things well and rightly. It is most important now, however, that we state again our mission. Above anything else, we understand our vocation to be about forming valued leaders who declare and serve Christ at God’s mission frontiers in the world. However much this may sound like a slogan, we are sincere about this conviction. Leaders who declare and serve Christ put Christ and the neighbor first (“whoever serves these, serves also me”). Leaders who declare and serve Christ try to listen first to the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit whom salvation history reveals as often hard to hear and hard to follow because the Spirit’s winds may be blowing in new ways…or not. Leaders know that the Church is where the Gospel is preached and the sacraments administered so that faith in Jesus Christ is awakened and nurtured.

With this foundational understanding, Wartburg recognizes that there have been numerous times in the Church’s life when cultural and ethical assumptions that once seemed essential to the unity of the Church were no longer so, for example, circumcision during the “Judaizing” debate, or, later, the subordinate role of women and slaves. More recently, the Church has recognized that very difficult moral quandaries must include room in Church policy and practice for differing “bound” consciences. In such cases we see and experience a conflict of ways the Bible is interpreted. On one hand, the Bible is approached as the unchanging and inerrant word of God; on the other it is understood as a living conversation in which the Spirit-led community of Christ in every generation is called to enter and respond. Our differences in faithful interpretation thus can lead virtually inevitably (although not necessarily) to conflict about what it means to be the Church.

We are in such a conflicted time. Division about the decisions made at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly will not be overcome anytime soon. Advocates for one side or the other are not going to quiet their voices (nor likely should they) simply because their “winning and losing sides” have reversed. We will need to be reminded regularly that this decision does not force any congregation to accept any particular person as that congregation’s pastor or other leader. Congregations and other institutions and agencies will continue to have the right to call whom they would into leadership positions. But the reality is that issues around sexuality and sexual orientation will continue to be controversial - perhaps even to the point of further division.

Anxiety will persist in many places of the church for a long time. I recall that in 1970 the vote in the American Lutheran Church to ordain women passed by 57%. One and a half generations later many still within Lutheranism (and surely beyond) disagree with this practice. I can recall that objections were not rare even a decade ago. But very few, if any, in the ELCA today would want to reverse that great decision. It has taken a while fully to see the Spirit’s hand, and there is much work yet to do with regard to the full and celebrated equal partnership of women and men in ministry. We’ll need a sense of the “long haul,” too, on this new matter of rostered leadership of gay and lesbian persons, which passed by a similar 55%. This is part of our context now for the discernment, proclamation, and teaching of God’s Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is of the context toward which Wartburg Theological Seminary, with renewed dedication, will shape leaders for the church who can lead non-anxiously in the Gospel for another generation and beyond.

Our seminary vocation includes helping students to wrestle with difficult questions in such a way that they can serve as pastors to people on all sides of the issues, because the Gospel of God's love in Jesus Christ takes precedence over everything else. Ideological stands tend to cloud the Gospel and convert issues into judgments about who is righteous and who is not. This is not the content of the Gospel, however. We are all sinners. And we are all counted righteous because Jesus Christ has so interceded for us that he assumed our humanity, including our sin, and graces us with his righteousness. This is the singular Good News for all people in all places and all times, whether in times of concord or discord.

We also believe that the appropriate behavior of Christian brothers and sisters going forth from the assembly was and is to reach out to the other. At the Churchwide Assembly there was no triumphal celebration of the one side over the other; no end zone dances; no gloating. If there was joy for those 55% to whom the votes came as life-giving, that joy still was cruciform and soberly prayerful. And just as surely, there was cruciform pain and prayerful lament for 45% of the gathered. But 100%, everyone, found common ground at the foot of Christ’s cross. It was not and will not be an easy ground. In a culture where “winners” often disrespect “losers,” it will be essential that all of us—those who affirm the decisions made and those of us who feel conscience bound to oppose them—remain together at the foot of the cross. “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). The Church does not recognize winners and losers in the same way secular culture does. The theology of the cross always summons us to follow the lead of God into God’s mission, and God is always on the side of those who do not get to choose sides. This also means that God reaches out to those who speak from their bound consciences, as well as to those for whom the decisions made were life-giving.

I saw this truth practiced most inspiringly on the Assembly floor, when a proponent of the resolutions speaking from the “green” microphone shared his fear at speaking. His counterpart at the “red” mike placed his hand on the proponent’s shoulder and prayed for that proponent while he spoke. What better image could we have of our unity in Christ? In him there is neither East nor West, Jew nor Greek, male nor female, red nor green, but all are one in him.

At Wartburg we have our differences of perspectives, of course. We have our red and green issues too. Every seminary does. But we insist on maintaining the larger vision and we will teach for the long haul. We will continue to help shape valued leaders who can and will lead God’s people through this current anxiety to, through and beyond anxieties yet to come. We will do so as fully dedicated as we are able, captured by the vision of God’s abundant life for all the world. We will continue to practice our distinctive way of worshiping, praying and teaching in life together, where the differences will not compromise, but perhaps even strengthen, our vocation as a seminary.

For all of us and this Church, especially within this democratic society, it will be important for us to reflect on how we remain a unique and caring force for those inside and outside the Church, whose lives too often are decided on the primal instinct of winning and losing. Our unity is deeper than that. Our unity is in Christ. Our unity is a gift from the Holy Spirit. This is the gift that yet also we are commanded to pursue (John 17:20-21). And we will, by the help of God.

Duane Larson, President
Wartburg Theological Seminary
August 26, 2009

Built on a rock the Church doth stand...

Shrimp here, still trying to regain our bearings after the twister that hit Minneapolis.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, we're not sure what more to say than this photo of Central Lutheran's steeple we snapped during the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly.

But here on the ELCA's web site, you'll be able to find lots of words -- the responses of ELCA Bishops to their synods following the Assembly. Thanks to ELCA Communications Services, who have traced down these statements from (so far) 50 of the ELCA's 65 synodical bishops for the new Our Faithful Mission Together web resource section.

We're not sure if we have the heart to read many of them, yet. Three weeks later, this picture remains the most compelling response we've seen so far. And we're afraid to learn how much, or how little, consolation -- and yes, despite all we've been writing about this for the last 4-plus years, we find ourselves in need of consolation -- we will find. As for you, go ahead, check out your bishop's response, and maybe a few others.

And pray.

Shrimp out.

"Augustana Day" at The College

Shrimp here, with a little something to divert you from the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

Say "Augustana, Rock Island" and some in the ELCA grow quite misty-eyed. They are thinking of the old Augustana College and Seminary, Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, and all the "wonderful things" of the Augustana Synod, the home of most Swedish-American Lutheran across the USA and Canada until it merged in 1962 with the United Lutheran Church in American to form the Lutheran Church in America and the Seminary was shipped off to Chicago. Things just haven't been the same since. "Ahh, Augustana! Now, that was a Lutheran Church!"

So, with the announcement of "The First Annual Augustana Day" that has appeared in the mailboxes of pastors in the general area of Augustana College, we can expect those of Augustana heritage to be momentarily wistful, as they set the messiness of this week's Churchwide Assembly aside.

Well, at least until they read it.

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The First Annual Augustana Day*
*A gift of Augustana College to our colleagues in the ministry of the ELCA, sharing the richness of the college in a way that will nourish your ministry

Thursday, October 8, 2009
Westerlin Residence Center Lounge
Augustana College

Learning From Islam

 9:00 a.m.  Welcome
Steven C. Bahls, Augustana College President

 9:15 a.m.  Why Christians Need Muslims.
Exploring what makes Islam and Christianity unique, along with our deep connections.
Dr. Jason Mahn, Augustana College Religion Department

 9:45 a.m.  Islam 101.
Everything you've always wanted to know about Islam but were afraid to ask.
Imam Saad Baig, Islamic Center of the Quad Cities

10:30 a.m.  Break

10:45 a.m.  Learning from the Sufis how to love God.
Resources for faith from Jelalludin Rumi and other Sufi mystics.
Dr. Cyrus Ali Zargar, Augustana College Religion Department

11:30 a.m.  Lunch

12:30 a.m.  How to begin pursuing interfaith connections where you live.
Models of interfaith relationships that have worked in the Quad Cities, at Augustana College, and elsewhere.
Dr. Lisa Zaynab Killinger, Palmer College, Davenport, Iowa

 1:15 p.m.  ELCA rostered leaders as college recruiters!
An unabashed pitch for encouraging your youth to consider Augustana.
W. Kent Barnds, Vice President of Enrollment, Augustana College

 2:00 p.m.  Departure

The program, including lunch, is completely free of charge to all ELCA rostered leaders. We do ask you to RSVP by October 1, please, so that we may have adequate materials and food available. Please RSVP via e-mail to Connie Huntley, Augustana College Campus Ministries, conniehuntley@augustana.edu or by calling her at 309/794-7213. After you contact Connie Huntley to reserve your space at this event, she will send you directions to Westerlin Residence Center and instructions for parking.

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Ya, sure. Just what our pastor is looking for from Augustana College: "Learning from the Sufis how to love God."

Pastor Svensson, do you have any suggestions for a Lutheran College for our Shirley?

Shrimp out.

South Carolina Bishop: Yes on #1

Shrimp here.

If you know where to look it actually is on the South Carolina Synod's website (at least until the next synod newsletter is published). We first we had to download it (watch, this is a 12-page pdf newsletter) from the link provided in a Charleston (South Carolina) Post and Courier article in today's Sunday edition, "Church tackles sexuality," to figure that out. "It" being Bishop Herman Yoos' reflections on the four ministry proposals.

Tip o' the claw to TitusOneNine. And an alert newspaper reporter. Shrimp out.

From the desk heart of Bishop Herman R. Yoos

At our 2009 Synod Assembly I was asked by Pastor Marion Brazell and Pastor James Addy about where I stood in relation to the four ministry proposals based on the Human Sexuality Statement. This article is my attempt to share with you where I am on this difficult and complex issue that is facing the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. It has been a journey for me over the years of wrestling with scripture, tradition and our Lutheran theology.

For me, our Lutheran understanding of human sexuality is grounded in Genesis 1, where we read that God created us male and female in God’s own image. Here we learn that God’s first intention in creating us as sexual beings was the importance of bringing new life into this world and giving the family a firm foundation of safety and protection. In Genesis 2, we learn from the story of Adam and Eve in the garden a second blessing which included the gift of intimate trust with one another and with God that the biblical writers described as walking naked in the garden with God and not being ashamed. I believe that God intended from the beginning for marriage to be a gift of a lifelong faithful relationship of husband and wife, for procreation and also for the development of the most intimate bond of trust that is possible on earth between two people.

In moving on to Genesis 3 and 4, we read about humankind’s disobedience and fall from God’s plans for his creation, which affected everything and everyone. All of life became less than what God intended it to be from the beginning, including the gift and purpose of human sexuality. Even the goodness of human sexuality in marriage has become distorted by sin, including power struggles, manipulation, game playing, bargaining for favors, extramarital affairs and divorce. The misuse of human sexuality inevitably includes seeing persons as objects to be used, rather than persons of worth created in the image of God. Because of this brokenness, nothing is as God intended.

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. Given that between 4 and 8% of the population enter this world with a gender attraction for the same sex person, the church continues to wrestle with the question of what is the most fair and just way to respond to these our baptized brothers and sisters, sons and daughters and other family members who share this fundamental attraction to the same sex.

When I consider that in our legal context today, gays and lesbians are still discriminated against and not treated equally under the law when it comes to taxes, to medical decisions, and end of life decisions, then it seems to me that there is a legitimate issue of justice that calls for us as Christians to support gays and lesbians who desire to live in a monogamous, committed and publicly accountable relationship. 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.

As I wrestle with Romans 1 and other scriptures that condemn homosexuality, I keep coming back to Romans 3:23-24. "Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." In Galatians 3, Paul writes, "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Our Lutheran theology refers most often to sin with a capital S as the universal condition we all face as humans living without trying to rank order the individual acts of sin.

In reading and wrestling with scripture, I also take seriously the call of the prophet "to set free those who are oppressed," "to let justice roll down like a river," and "to proclaim liberty to the captives."

For all of these reasons, if I were voting today on the four ministry proposals before the ELCA I would vote "yes" on Motion #1 "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."

At the same time, I would vote "no" against motions 2, 3 and 4, which advocate for structured flexibility in allowing for the ordination of same gendered persons in lifelong publicly accountable relationships. For me, ordination is not a justice issue, nor an issue of civil rights; but it is an issue of spiritual discernment and accountability.

I share these thoughts with you to let you know where I am before the Churchwide Assembly. These are certainly not new thoughts or original ones, but rather come out of the readings I have done along with the many conversations that others have shared with me. I told the assembly that my election to this office does not give me any ex cathedra knowledge or additional wisdom, but rather these are my best reflections that I share with you for further discussion in the future.

I continue to pray for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit for all the voting members of this Churchwide Assembly, and for all the decisions that are before us, and I encourage you to do the same.

Peace, Herman R. Yoos

Goodsoil's "A-list Bishops" to Meet for Assembly

Shrimp again, with a preview of events at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly that begins this Monday. For instance, the "full inclusion" forces have put on their website,

Goodsoil intends to have a presence during all parts of Churchwide. From graceful engagement with voting members during meals to a large, public worship service, Goodsoil intends to be involved with every aspect of the Assembly.

That page and the Goodsoil schedule for the Assembly give us a good hint of what they'll be up to.

One activity doesn't show up, but an ALPB Forum Blog entry offers information on an additional Goodsoil gathering:

To: A-list Bishops in support of full inclusion
From: The Rev. Christopher Berry and Emily Eastwood of the Goodsoil Legislative Team

Several of you have asked that we convene with you for updates and strategies regarding opening night, the social statement and the rostering recommendations.

You are hereby invited to a meeting on Monday, August 17th, at Central Lutheran in the Lower Narthex Usher's Room from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm for a very light lunch, make your own sandwiches and beverages. We will have all the fixin's. Use the large doors on the north side of the building which faces the access to 35W. Trusted volunteers will meet you at the door.

There will be a second meeting with allied bishops Wednesday night immediately following the Goodsoil worship in the Fireside Lounge at Central. We know that some bishops are vesting and you are invited to do so if you feel so called. Even if you do not vest, please attend and invite your voting members. The color of the day is green.

We recognize that at this point you have an agreement amongst yourselves regarding participation in debate at the Assembly. We ask that you take whatever actions are necessary within the conference to enable your full participation as the Spirit leads.

We will be discussing strategies and tactics for debate for the week. We reaffirm our support for the social statement as submitted as well as the policy recommendations. We will be holding voting member meetings at 1:00 pm and 9:30 pm on Monday in Goodsoil Central Room 200 in the Convention Center. Daily voting member briefings will be held in the same room each evening.

Both of us are available for discussion at any time with you or your voting members. We look forward to working with you toward passage of both the social statement and policy change. In these last days of preparation the Spirit has been palpably present amongst us. We hold you, the voting members, those who would oppose full inclusion, and indeed the whole church in prayer.

Blessings,
The Rev. Christopher Berry (voting member) XXX-XXX-XXXX Cell
Just Plain Emily Eastwood (visitor) XXX-XXX-XXXX Cell

So if you are one of those ELCA Churchwide Assembly Voting Members charmed by the Goodsoil Singers as you walk through the Skyways to the Convention Center, remember that they've got a lot of ELCA power on their side, too.

Shrimp out.

NW Minnesota Bishop: Squandered Opportunity

Shrimp here. In February we posted reactions of several ELCA Bishop's to Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, the ELCA's proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality. We've now discovered (thanks to the Editor of Forum Letter) a response to the statement by Bishop Larry Wohlrabe of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod and posted on his blog on Wednesday.

You'll want to read the whole thing, but we want to highlight the latter part:

... Make no mistake: sex is a big deal!

So, I ask, how have we in the ELCA done in formulating a social statement on human sexuality? Has our great church produced a great document that does justice to the gravity and grace of human sexuality? Have we in the ELCA addressed as powerfully and as richly as possible the real social issues that arise from our life as sexually-differentiated human beings? Are we now poised to be a church that has something powerful to say to our society in the early 21st century about the wonder of human sexuality and the tremendous possibilities of well-ordered sexual lives, for the sake of our human future? Are we ready to speak confidently, compellingly to our society as a church that still believes that “the Lord God in his goodness created us male and female, and by the gift of marriage founded human community in a joy that begins now and is brought to perfection in the life to come?”^[2]

Alas, as I read Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, I cannot honestly say that we have done our best to plumb the heights and depths of human sexuality so as to say something meaningful and compelling to the society in which we live. As a colleague in ministry put it, only we Lutherans could take something as exciting as sex and write about it in such a pedestrian way.

Let me name three deep concerns that I have about Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.

1. Framing the Issue. Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, although proposed to us as a theological teaching document consistently fails to exhibit a deep engagement with and thoughtful appropriation of the Lutheran theological treasury. The rich law-gospel dialectic for which Lutherans are known is not the “operating system” in this teaching document. The document sets aside—in a footnote, no less!^[3]—our time-honored understanding of “orders of creation” as deep, dynamic, caring structures that God has built into the Creation to bring forth and sustain human life in all its multi-form abundance. In the place of such profound theological and ethical categories, Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust sees everything sexual through the sociological lens of “trust in relationships” or “social trust.” (The word “trust” shows up nearly two hundred times in the document!) Now, to be sure, social trust is a very good thing! Even thoughtful pagans will agree to that. But “social trust” is scarcely a suitable “lens” for a distinctively Christian or churchly word about human sexuality.

2. Sidestepping the Question of Form. The Western Christian tradition has consistently held that human sexuality has about it a normative shape or form. By privileging one form of sexual expression—the one-flesh bond of a man and a woman united in marriage—the tradition has ruled out every competing form of sexual expression. Although this strikes our modern sensibilities as being unfair, the heterosexual structure of human sexuality is actually a divine gift, intimately bound up with the civilizational task of bringing forth and rearing the next generation of human beings. Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, however, sidesteps the notion that there even is a normative form of sexual expression. All that counts is the quality of sexual relationships (be they heterosexual, homosexual or whatever)—that they be loving, committed, monogamous, lifelong, etc. Driven by the desire to normalize gay and lesbian relationships, this document effectively removes our grounds for critiquing, let alone ruling out, other forms of sexual expression. Perhaps, therefore, we should not be surprised that the following words don’t show up even once in this document: bestiality, bisexual, incest, masturbation, or polygamy. (By the way, “singles” are mentioned only three times in the document!)

3. Downplaying the Fruitfulness of Sexuality. Although Human Sexuality: Gift and Task speaks often of families (the word “family” shows up nearly fifty times), it says little about just how such families come into existence. An extra-terrestrial could read the section on Marriage: Shelter and Context for Trust (lines 607-750) and still not realize that procreation is integral to marriage. Again, the vocabulary of the document is telling: the words “conceive” and “intercourse” each show up just once, “birth” appears four times, and “mother” and “father” are each mentioned three times. It is amazing to me that a proposed social statement on sexuality can speak so often about intimacy but so seldom about generativity. What a rare opportunity we are missing to teach our young ones about the marvelous crucible for begetting and nurturing children that God graciously gives to us in the “first institution” of holy matrimony!

So, with regret, I must register my deep disappointment with this proposed social statement. Our church has invested tremendous “capital” in this project—both money and human capital—with precious little to show for our efforts. The fault here should not be laid solely at the doorstep of the task force that has drafted this document. They are good and decent people, charged with a daunting task, and asked to discharge their duties in the unsettled atmosphere of a society-wide debate over one small aspect of human sexuality, i.e. the place of persons who identify themselves as gay and lesbian within our church and our society. For far too long, our over-focus on homosexuality has been the “tail wagging the dog”—making it hard, if not impossible, for our church to address adequately the whole gamut of human sexuality.

By dwelling on peripheral matters, we have squandered the opportunity to speak compellingly to the heart of the most important issues of human sexuality in our time. We have failed to muster the maturity and thoughtfulness needed to address adequately the issue at hand. We as a Lutheran church body are capable of doing so much better than this!

----------
^[2] Liturgy for marriage, Lutheran Book of Worship, p. 203.
^[3] Footnote 11 in Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.

Again, read it all. Shrimp out.

Survey: ELCA Clergy Support Gay Clergy and Relationships

Shrimp here, with a press release from Public Religion Research about a 2008 survey of "senior clergy from the seven largest Mainline denominations: United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, American Baptist Churches USA, Presbyterian Church USA, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)." Tip o' the claw to ELCA News.

We don't know much about Public Religion Research other than that their motto is "Bringing expertise and insight to the intersection of religion, values and public policy" and that their analysis of the survey (pdf) suggests a progressive, pro-gay perspective. You can see the actual survey here. Now without further ado, Shrimp out.

Survey Shows Lutheran Clergy Support Ordination of Gay and Lesbian Clergy

Survey Shows ELCA Clergy Support Performing Same-Sex Marriages Where Legal
Contact: Dr. Robert P. Jones, President, 202-425-0277, rjones@publicreligion.org
For the PDF version of this press release, click here.

A majority of clergy who belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) support ordination of gay and lesbian clergy, and a plurality (46%) support performing same-sex marriages in states where they are legal, according to a recent national survey by Public Religion Research. The Clergy Voices Survey is the most in-depth study ever conducted of Mainline Protestant clergy and contained nearly 60 questions related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in the church and society.

"ELCA clergy are generally supportive of a range of rights for gay and lesbian people both inside and outside the church. Nationwide, a majority of ELCA clergy support ordaining gay and lesbian clergy, and only a minority of ELCA clergy opposes performing same-sex marriages in the states where they are legal," said Dr. Robert P. Jones, President of Public Religion Research, who conducted the study. "ELCA clergy also strongly believe that the gospel message requires full inclusion of gay and lesbian members in the life of the church, and support for ordination and participation in marriage ceremonies of gay and lesbian parishioners are concrete expressions of that theological conviction."

Seven-in-ten ELCA clergy say that the gospel message requires full inclusion of LGBT people in the church, and a majority of ELCA clergy supports ordination of gay and lesbian clergy . A solid majority (54%) of ELCA clergy says that gay and lesbian people should be eligible for ordination with no special requirements. About one-third (32%) says that gay and lesbian people should be eligible for ordination only if they are celibate, and only 14% say gay and lesbian people should not be eligible at all.

A plurality of ELCA clergy support performing civil marriages where legal. By a significant margin, ELCA clergy disagree with the statement, "Even if it were legal, I would not be willing to perform a civil union or marriage for a same-sex couple" (46% disagree vs. 37% agree). As a matter of public policy, the overwhelming majority of ELCA clergy support either same-sex marriage (37%) or civil unions (44%), and only 1-in-5 (19%) says there should be no legal recognition for same-sex relationships. ELCA clergy are also strongly supportive of other rights for LGBT families and individuals, such as adoption rights, hate crimes laws, and workplace discrimination protections.

A majority (53%) of ELCA clergy report that their views on LGBT issues are more liberal today than they were a decade ago. One-third (33%) says their views have not changed, and only 14% say they have become more conservative.

The Clergy Voices Survey was conducted by mail among a national random sample of senior clergy serving congregations in the seven largest Mainline Protestant denominations. The survey contained over 250 separate questions and generated 2,658 respondents with a response rate of 44%. The Clergy Voices Survey was funded by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. Full results of the study can be found at http://www.publicreligion.org/research/?id=208.

"Jesus came for sinners, but he did tell us not to sin." (click title)

Chilstrom's Open Letter

You might find this interesting.

Hong Kong Lutheran Bishop: "Profound Embarassment"

Shrimp here. No, we haven't forgotten the trials of the ELCA. We've been traveling and been away from the internet -- it is a good thing, when able, to step away from the fray for a bit to be spiritually recharged.

Meanwhile, Pastor Richard Johnson of the ALPB's Forum Letter has posted the following letter from Bishop Nicholas Tai of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong (a sister church in the Lutheran World Federation) to ELCA Presiding Bishop (and LWF President) Mark Hanson about the sexuality task force's recommendations to the next month's ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Read it and ponder. Shrimp out.

Dear Bishop Hanson and Colleagues in ministry,

Grace and peace be with you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Thank you for your letter dated July 6 and a call to prayers for the assembly of the ELCA in August. We do remember you in our prayers.

We are informed about the four recommendations presented by the task force on human sexuality. These recommendations will be discussed and may be accepted by the assembly in August. This matter is also of great importance for us in Asia. Of special concern is the question of homosexual union blessings and the acceptance of ordained clergy in homosexual relationships. A decision to accept these two practices would be a source of profound embarassment for the Lutheran Church in Asia.

Such a decision on the part of the ELCA would affect our companion relationships, as homosexual practice is regarded as sin in the vast ecumenical community in Asia.

Secondly, we live in a morally and ethically shaped society. Non-Christians as well as Christians regard homosexual behavior as immoral. If the Church accepts and practicies homosexual behavior, it will be a big stumbling block for the vast majority of 1.3 billion Chinese, who need the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong regards homosexual practice as a sin and expressly states this in our discipline handbook. If the ELCA accepts such practices, it will be quite an embarassment to explain to our members why our companion Church allows something which goes against the clear biblical norms of our own Church. We as part of the Lutheran Communion could not escape the accusation that the Church is listening to the modern culture rather than to the clear teaching of the Word of God.

Prayers we need in this moment of crisis. We do not know the outcome, but as the sage in the Bible taught us, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord." (Prov. 21:1) We are in God's hand.

Thank you for your companionship and support in Mission!

Blessings in Christ

Nicholas Tai, Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong

The Absolute Worst Thing

Dear Readers of Shellfish:

What is the absolute worst thing? Well, that would depend on who you are. If you are called into the ministry, the worst thing you could become is an advocate of a false gospel.

If you are a shepherd, becoming a wolf is the worst thing. It would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck and to be tossed into the sea than to lead one of the sheep astray.

But that is precisely what is going on today in mass scale. If you are a minister in a denomination that is asked to consider voting on something that is in direct conflict with Scripture you simply must make a decision. You simply must look at the evidence.

Today the evidence to consider is a sermon broadcasted on Day1. Here the preacher plainly advocates not only for a different gospel, he is promoting a different Jesus. This fellow is a great ethical teacher, not someone who became flesh, was crucified for our sake. Look for evidence in the sermon that Jesus laid down his life for the sheep. I don't think you will find it, rather the listeners are asked to turn their back on the doctrine of original sin and the understanding that Jesus died for your sins.

Let's be clear. Deciding to ignore the issue of an active homosexual lifestyle is not the worst thing a preacher can do. Coming to believe in a different gospel so you can make the church more relevant is the worst thing. Preaching a different gospel for any reason is simply not permissible, and doing so in order to feel good about yourself in front of your peers or present yourself well when you meet people is pitiful. When denominations promote radio ministries such as this and do so with the tithes and offerings of unsuspecting members, they are de facto promoting the very thing that they are sworn to not do.

Listen to this sermon at Day 1. What is Day1? It used to be called "The Protestant Hour" but changed its name to be more culturally relevant.

Get back to us and tell us what you think. Have I oversold it? Look forward to your conversation.

Cap'n Bill

PS. Come to think of it, perhaps the next-to-worst thing is having a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing praying that you become one too--that is exactly what this preacher says in the end of the sermon, in my opinion (we all have one, and for the time being we preachers can still express it).

PPS. Yes, we try and use humor here at Shellfish in the same way Samuel Clemens did, but this issue is just too serious for me to put on the pirate schtick.

What A.R.E. They Thinking, Still?

Shrimp here, with an update on this post from a year ago.

A.R.E is A Renewal Enterprise, the outfit whose managing partners include disgraced former-ELCA pastor Kelly Fryer and her life-partner, who also serve as synodically-blessed"co-pastoral leaders" for the ELCA congregation that wanders around the Chicago Loop. Last year we noted that Ms. Fryer was pretty busy speaking about "renewal" at several Synod Assemblies in the ELCA and ELCIC. Remember that her experience of "renewal" led to the ending of her marriage, entering a lesbian partnership with an old friend, and her resignation as an ELCA pastor and seminary professor, all while creating a couple series of "best selling" books for Augsburg Fortress.

For the 2009 Synod Assembly circuit, three ELCA Synods took the title of her No Experience Necessary Bible study series a bit too seriously by inviting Fryer to be Keynote Speaker:

• Northern Texas – Northern Louisiana Synod, April 24-26, 2009, where she was also featured in the Synod's DiscipleLife University and was preacher for the opening Holy Communion Service, with Bishop Kevin Kanouse presiding ;


• New England Synod, May 28-30 (find report here); and


• Indiana-Kentucky Synod, June 4–6, 2009 (Assembly news here).

Shrimp has received reports that objections to Ms. Fryer's appearance were raised from the floor when the Agenda was presented for the I-K Synod Assembly's approval, with one voting member noting that the Holy Scriptures call her lifestyle "an abomination." Not only did the objection go nowhere, the next day Bishop James R. Stuck reportedly admonished the Assembly and apologized to Fryer for its "rude" behavior. As an preview of the proposed respecting of "bound consciences," Bishop Stuck reportedly said that everyone has agreed to disagree on this issue, so what had been said on the Assembly floor had been beyond the boundaries acceptability.

Of course, Kelly Fryer and A.R.E. do more that Synod Assembly keynoting. A.R.E. reports activities in the last year include:

• designing and facilitating "a uniquely participative, multi-state process to help the people of the Central States Synod (ELCA) articulate a renewed and broadly owned sense of purpose;"


• Developing and testing "an innovative process helping college students in the Western Mission Cluster" (that's the ELCA's Pacific and Luther seminaries) "develop a sense of their life’s purpose and direction;"


• using "an asset-based, grassroots, deeply contextualized process to help the leaders of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (ELCA) discern new strategic directions in which to focus their resources over the next several years;" and, continuing their international activities


• conducting "teambuilding and leadership training events for newly appointed leaders in the redesigned structure of the Eastern Synod (ELCIC)."

So, what A.R.E. ELCA leaders in some Synods thinking? Apparently that discipline of ministers is capricious.

So, ELCA members, do you know what your synod benevolence dollars A.R.E. up to?

Shrimp out.

Open Letter from the Silesian Lutheran Church

Shrimp here. This open letter from Bishop Stanislav Piętak of the Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (the largest Lutheran church in the Czech Republic) was sent to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, its ELCA Companion Synod, and is posted on the Lutheran Forum web site.

Český Těšín, May 4, 2009

Dear Bishop and Leaders of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod,

I greet you with thankfulness for your interest in the partnership with our church. With joy I look back to the time of your visit in January. Shared dialogues are bringing a lot of useful impulses. I also warmly thank you for inviting the leadership of our church, which will be led by vice-bishop Jan Waclawek. For sure we need to get to know each other and join our strength for the task of evangelization of this world to which we are called by our Lord Jesus Christ.

During communism we secretly dreamed that one day we might be able to work together with Lutheran churches from the U.S.A., Scandinavia, and other Western countries. We suffered the attacks of atheistic ideologies and repressive forces of totalitarian leaders, and we prayed for freedom. That is why we view freedom as a precious gift from God which brings a great opportunity for faithful service to our Savior.

We are troubled whenever we hear that the freedom is misused to put down God’s ordinances. As a clear example we see accepting of other ways of sexual relationship than those in the marriage of one man and one woman. I am convinced that we are not called to make sin tolerable. We can share our love to people who have an attraction to the same sex by calling them to repentance in faith in their Savior Jesus Christ, not by redefining the biblical stand on sin.

We closely observe the discussion which is going on in your church body. We pray that your synod would take a clear Biblical stand this summer and vote against accepting the proposed social statement on human sexuality. Any other stand would be very disappointing for us and would threaten our partnership. According to our constitution, our ministry is incompatible with anyone or any organization which is in any way defending the homosexual lifestyle.

But even if the statement is accepted, we hope for continuing partnership. Even though we would not be able to cooperate as church bodies, we are sure that we can develop our partnership through those in your church body who are opposing this statement and who are faithful to the Scripture even in the area of human sexuality.

Nevertheless, we continue to pray for good news from your church and for continuing partnership, and we do it with a hope to be joined in fulfilling Christ’s command to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16). “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments” (I John 5:2).

With wishes of God’s blessing in following our Lord Jesus Christ,

Stanislav Piętak, Bishop of the SECAC

The Silesian church's Wikipedia entry notes that it has a cooperative relationship with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations.

And this is as good an excuse as any for Shrimp to encourage you to check out Lutheran Forum's section on on the ELCA sexuality reports, which offers considerable commentary on the upcoming ELCA decisions.

Shrimp out.

Churchwide Assembly Lacks Authority

Shrimp again. In the following resolution entitled "Usurped Authority," the 2009 WordAlone Network convention a few weeks ago

expresses its grave concern that the churchwide assembly is being led to vote on matters over which it has no legitimate authority and calls for the assembly to refrain from voting on the task force documents.

Here's the entire resolution:

Usurped Authority

Adopted April 27, 2009 by the WordAlone Network annual convention
Whereas, God alone is the creator of all that exists, including the gifts of marriage and sexuality; and

Whereas, sinful human beings and institutions, including churches, have no authority to redefine that which God has made; and

Whereas, "the Scriptures clearly teach that marriage is a life long bond of faithfulness between one man and one woman and the context for which sexual intercourse is reserved (1 Corinthians 6:15-20; Hebrews 13:4; Galatians 5:16-19);"^[1] and

Whereas, Christian churches are called to submit to the authority of God's Word over all matters of faith and life; and

Whereas, Christian churches have no authority to vote on matters governed by Divine Law so as to encourage and teach sinful human beings "to do what is right in their own eyes;" and

Whereas, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" and "Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies," the documents from the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality that the ELCA Church Council have sent to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly for consideration, explicitly reject the Scriptures' clear, consistent witness concerning marriage and sexuality; and

Whereas, the task force documents define "bound conscience" to mean something other than captive to the Word of God, and therefore ultimately to mean that Christians may do what is right in their own eyes, which has grave implications for all matters of morality; and

Whereas, the task force documents propose a redefinition of sexual relationships that approves of sexual relationships outside the life long marriage of one man and one woman; therefore

Be it resolved that the WordAlone Network, captive to the Word of God, expresses its grave concern that the churchwide assembly is being led to vote on matters over which it has no legitimate authority and calls for the assembly to refrain from voting on the task force documents; and

Be it further resolved that if the churchwide assembly insists on voting on the documents, the WordAlone Network calls for the defeat of both documents and the affirmation of the Scriptures' clear, consistent norms for marriage and sexuality.

[You may also download the resolution as a PDF file]
_______________

Footnote:

^[1] "Concerning the Gift of Sexual Life and Its Divinely Created Structure," approved at the WordAlone Network Annual Convention, April 27, 2004

Think about that a moment -- the Assembly has no authority...

Shrimp out.

The Necessity of Resistance

Shrimp here, with this statement presented by the WordAlone Network's Theological Advisory Board to the recent WordAlone Network Annual Convention, which accepted it.

The Necessity of Resistance

Approved April 27, 2009 by the WordAlone Network Annual Convention and referred to Lutheran CORE for consideration.
First, the biblical witness concerning marriage, the family and sexual practices has established an historic consensus which has held ecumenically throughout the church’s history. This long term and virtually universal consensus of interpretation demonstrates compellingly that the biblical word has functioned clearly and authoritatively on the issues. Whatever ambiguities remain have been and can be clarified in light of this agreement. Those who wish to change the accepted guidelines and expectations for clergy in the ELCA have yet to justify the reconsideration of issues settled by the Scripture and accepted by all but a minuscule minority of Christians.

Secondly, while appealing for unity, the proposal presented for the decision of the Minneapolis churchwide assembly is in fact profoundly divisive. All of the evidence available demonstrates that Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and most Protestants strongly oppose changing the biblical standards. Voting for the proposed changes will thus take the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America out of the stated biblical and ecumenical consensus of the church, isolating it from the visible unity with other Christians.

Thirdly, the proposal presented for action by the church council of the ELCA at its Minneapolis churchwide assembly in August of 2009 brings the church into a state of confession—as defined by Article X of the Formula of Concord—in two ways. It proposes to compromise the plain sense of Scripture, setting aside the authority of the biblical word. Further, if the ecumenical consensus is overturned by vote of the churchwide assembly, the majority would forcibly remove those who oppose such changes from the historic and virtually universal consensus prevailing in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. As such, the proposal presented by the church council is both schismatic and coercive.

Declaring this proposal in statu confessionis, that is, declaring a state of confession means that the proposed action must be resisted on biblical grounds. This opposition takes the form of refusing to support those institutions and officers of the ELCA who have betrayed their true purposes. It is incumbent on the officers of the church, its bishops and pastors, all of whom have taken oaths to preach and teach according to the Scripture and the Lutheran Confession to join this resistance. Their failure to respect their promises has placed the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in schism.

Tip o' the claw to the Institute of Lutheran Theology blog. Shrimp out.

Polygamists demand multi-sex marriage Activists: "New Hampshire plan embeds bigotry"

QUEERLY BELOVED
WorldNetDaily Exclusive
Next frontier? Polygamists
demand multi-sex marriage
Activists: New Hampshire plan
embeds bigotry into state law

---

Posted: June 05, 2009
10:30 pm Eastern

By Bob Unruh

---

WorldNetDaily

A polygamy advocacy organization says the New Hampshire law that is intended to assure "equal access to marriage" for all instead specifically embeds in state statutes bigotry against polygamists.

According to a statement posted on the Pro-Polygamy website, when on Wednesday New Hampshire "became the sixth U.S. State to codify the legal construction of same sex marriage," it was hailed by homosexuals as a "civil rights victory."

"Declaring that the new law advances fairness and equality for all, they proclaimed that New Hampshire had supposedly 'ended discrimination' for everyone," the statement said.

"But the law did no such thing. Rather, it intentionally 'discriminates' against consenting adult polygamists – indeed, on purpose," the organization said.

The fact that polygamists, and indeed those with other sexual proclivities, would use the same "civil rights" and "equality" arguments forwarded by homosexuals seeking "marriage" rights has been predicted for years.

(Story continues below)

"Polygamists, and those who have a polygamous 'orientation,' have been 'singled out' by these provisions for much more severe treatment than merely denial of favored status... The court's disposition today suggests that these provisions are unconstitutional; and that polygamy must be permitted in these states... – unless, of course, polygamists for some reason have fewer constitutional rights than homosexuals," Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in 1996.

That came in a U.S. Supreme Court opinion quashing the decision of Colorado voters who decided there should be a constitutional provision providing, "No Protected Status Based on Homosexual, Lesbian, or Bisexual Orientation."

The court majority there decided Colorado voters were guilty of "impermissible targeting" of a "class" of people.

Learn how homosexuality has been sold to America. Get "The Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom"

Scalia noted that the same arguments being applied to homosexuals as a class also could be applied to polygamists. Then in 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down state laws forbidding homosexuality. The Lawrence vs. Texas case established a "right to privacy" for consenting adults.

Once again dissenting, Scalia wrote, "State laws against bigamy, same-sex marriage, adult incest, prostitution, masturbation, adultery, fornication, bestiality, and obscenity are likewise sustainable only in light of [a] validation of laws based on moral choices. Every single one of these laws is called into question by today's decision…"

"This effectively decrees the end of all morals legislation," Scalia wrote.

WND founder and editor Joseph Farah, who has been writing commentary on social issues for years, also cited the 2003 Lawrence ruling in writing:

"To say laws about private sexual conduct are unconstitutional, the court, in effect, opened a sexual Pandora's box," he said. "If there is a constitutional right to have homosexual sex, how can one deny there is a constitutional right to group sex? How can one deny there is a constitutional right to consensual incest? How can one deny there is a right to have sex with animals? How can one deny there is a constitutional right to polygamy?

"You can't. There is no difference," he wrote.

His conclusion was that the court was wrong: "There is no constitutional right to homosexual sex – or any other kind of sex for that matter. The word sex doesn't appear in the Constitution."

The issue came up again only a year ago, when the California state Supreme Court ruled the state could not deny the designation of "marriaged" to homosexual couples. That court opinion was tossed out last November by a vote of the people, who defined "marriage" as being between one man and one woman.

In a dissent to that court opinion, Associate Justice Marvin R. Baxter cited similar concerns.

"The majority … simply does not have the right to erase, then recast, the age-old definition of marriage, as virtually all societies have understood it, in order to satisfy its own contemporary notions of equality and justice. The California Constitution says nothing about the rights of same-sex couples to marry. On the contrary, as the majority concedes, our original Constitution, effective from the moment of statehood, evidenced an assumption that marriage was between partners of the opposite sex," Baxter wrote at the time.

Then he issued a warning:

"Who can say that, in 10, 15, or 20 years, an activist court might not rely on the majority's analysis to conclude, on the basis of a perceived evolution in community values, that the laws prohibiting polygamous and incestuous marriages were no longer constitutionally justified?"

According to the activist Pro-Polygamy, the New Hampshire plan specifically includes discrimination in its wording. It was the sixth state to "act" on homosexual marriage. Several states have voted it in through the legislative process and in several other states officials have simply imposed same-sex "marriage" plans on residents following court opinions, even though state laws have even yet to be changed.

The polygamy activists said the new law now affirms the "right" of two individuals to marry.

AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Avast Ye, Matey's, Raise the Sails! If Ye Bishops and Privy Council be so smart and inspired in Doing a New Thing Spirit, why do ye think they be not privy to this logic?

The rest is here.

ELCA Seminarians Oppose Task Force Recommendations

Shrimp again. We've already brought to your attention an Open Letter from ELCA Seminarians to the ELCA Bishops, currently with 254 signatures, in support of the Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies that, if adopted, would allow for the rostered ministry of practicing gay and lesbian persons in the ELCA.

Now the newest edition of Lutheran (True!) Confessions ("News, Gossip, Innuendo, Hope!") brings to our attention this Petition Upholding Current ELCA Ministry Standards initiated by 5 ELCA seminarians at Luther Seminary. At this moment 72 persons have signed it, though clearly several of the signers are not seminarians while some signers appear to not be ELCA. Here's the petition:

An Open Letter to the ELCA News Service

Dear Mr Brooks:

We, the undersigned students of Luther Seminary, are writing to protest the headline of your recent news release, "Lutheran Seminarians Support Task Force Recommendation" highlighting the open letter written by a group of seminarians regarding "Recommendations on Ministry Policies" from the Task Force for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality." We object to the implication in the headline that all seminarians support the recommendations. A less divisive headline might have been "Group of Seminarians Support Task Force Recommendation."

As members of the Body of Christ and the ELCA, we trust that our denomination's national leadership would prefer to act as an impartial facilitator of a productive dialog. Please recognize that your editorial work has the effect of privileging one view over another. As a remedy to this divisive situation, we request a news release under the headline: "Lutheran Seminarians Do Not Support Task Force Recommendation."

Our basis for not supporting the task force recommendations rests on one continuous interpretation of scripture. We believe the 1980 statement on this issue by one of our predecessor church bodies, the American Lutheran Church, outlines that traditional approach, accurately captures the views of the majority of the people in the ELCA, and should be the policy of the ELCA. This statement is provided below.

We believe and hope that rejecting the task force recommendations would seek to enhance the unity of the church and further our common mission of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in truth and clarity. Adopting the proposals of the Task Force moves us away from the position of all of our predecessor church bodies as well as much of world-wide Christianity.

While we respect and acknowledge the sincerity of those seminarians supporting change, their statement that due to current policy, "candidates felt compelled to lie about their sexuality" raises questions about their understanding of the offices in which they seek to serve. Our church must raise trustworthy leaders that respect the accountability that comes with their public vocation. We hope that by offering this public statement of support regarding our current policy, trust can be rebuilt with our governing church body as it reflects the perspectives of all its members, especially as we continue to join together in our common work of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people.

Sincerely,

Lyle A. Belleque
MDiv '12
Luther Seminary
Southeastern Synod

Brian Nehring
MDiv'12
Luther Seminary
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin

Phillip Roushey
MDiv'12
Luther Seminary
Upstate New York Synod

Jamie Strickler
MDiv'12
Luther Seminary
Southeastern Iowa Synod

Ben Worley
MDiv'10
Luther Seminary
Northwestern Minnesota Synod


A statement adopted by the Tenth General Convention of The American Lutheran Church (GC8O.4.43), October 1980, "as a statement of comment and counsel addressed to the member congregations of The American Lutheran Church, and their members individually, for their consideration and such action as they may deem appropriate." Ballot vote tally: Yes 812; No 104; Abstain 15.

(Paragraph G.) CONSIDERING HOMOSEXUALITY

1. We note the current consensus in the scientific community that one's preferred sexual behavior exists on a continuum from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual and that homosexual behavior takes a variety of forms. We believe it appropriate to distinguish between homosexual orientation and homosexual behavior. Persons who do not practice their homosexual erotic preference do not violate our understanding of Christian sexual behavior.

2. This church regards the practice of homosexual erotic behavior as contrary to God's intent for his children. It rejects the contention that homosexual behavior is simply another form of sexual behavior equally valid with the dominant male/female pattern.

3. We have reviewed the challenges to the traditional interpretations of those scripture passages that appear to proscribe homosexual behavior. We are not convinced by the evidence presented. Among passages cited as requiring interpretations different from the traditional interpretation are Genesis 18:l6 & l9:29; Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13; Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:10. While we see no scriptural rationale for revising the church's traditional teaching that homosexual erotic behavior violates God's intent, we nonetheless remain open to the possibility of new biblical and theological insights.

4. We agree that homosexually-behaving persons need God's grace as does every human being. We all need the care and concern of the congregation. We all need opportunity to hear the Word, to receive the sacraments, to accept the forgiveness God offers, to experience the understanding and the fellowship of the community of Christ. We all need the power of the Holy Spirit for ethical living sensitive to our own individual situations. So saying we nevertheless do not condone homosexual erotic behavior. Nor do we condone idolatry, pride, disrespect for parents, murder, adultery, theft, libel, gossip, or the other sins known in our circles. The sacrifice God finds acceptable from each of us is "a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart." Then he can answer our prayer for a "clean heart . . . a new and right spirit within me." (See Psalm 51.)

5. Truth, mercy, and justice should impel members of congregations of The American Lutheran Church to review their attitudes, words, and actions regarding homosexuality. Christians need to be more understanding and more sensitive to life as experienced by those who are homosexual. They need to take leadership roles in changing public opinion, civil laws, and prevailing practices that deny justice and opportunity to any persons, homosexual or heterosexual. We all need recognition and acceptance as human beings known to and loved by God.


(***If You are an ELCA Seminarian adding your signature, please add the following in the comment block: degree program, class year, seminary, and ELCA Synod***)

Looks to us as though all, and not simply ELCA seminarians who find the Task Force unconvincing, are encouraged to sign this petition. Shrimp out.

The Kirk Offers Hint to the ELCA

Shrimp again. Every once in a while, someone suggests that the ELCA simply refuse to discuss sexuality matters for a period of time. You know, if we just agree to make no decisions about sex for a generation or two and concentrate on evangelizing the unchurched, our grandchildren will be able to discuss the matter (in a much larger, more firmly established ELCA).

Now the Church of Scotland is trying to do just that, well sort of, for 2 years. Read about it in The Scotsman, which also offers an old idea for those who find themselves in dissent from any ELCA Assembly action this summer. Tip of the claw to TitusOneNine.

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Kirk orders ban on gay minister debate

The Church of Scotland last night effectively gagged its members from public discussion of gay ministers and postponed a potentially divisive vote on the issue for two years in a desperate bid to avoid a schism.

A debate on a call to ban openly homosexual people from appointment to the ministry was torpedoed by an 11th-hour motion that dominated the General Assembly yesterday.

Instead of proceeding with the vote – which many traditionalists had warned could split the Kirk – members agreed to establish a commission to study the issue and report back in 2011.

Until then, no more openly gay ministers can be appointed and no members can speak in public on the issue of openly homosexual, non-celibate ministers.

Only the Church and Society, HIV/Aids Project and Mission Discipleship committees can speak out on the broader issue of human sexuality.

One hardliner said last night Kirk members were now "effectively prevented from speaking out in public on this".

The decision came as 121 Kirk ministers and Church members showed their disapproval of the decision to allow the openly gay Scott Rennie to be appointed to a ministry when they signed a notice of dissent.

Before yesterday's General Assembly proceedings were able to start, a point of order was brought by one commissionaire that he wished to dissent against Saturday's decision to allow Mr Rennie to take up his ministry at Queen's Cross Church, Aberdeen.

Moderator Bill Hewitt said a document had been set up for those who wished to dissent on the decision to have their names recorded in the minutes of the assembly.

Although it will have no bearing on the decision itself, it was an expression of the strength of opposition to the crucial vote on Saturday that backed Mr Rennie's appointment. The vote was carried 326 to 267 and it is thought that many of those who opposed it would have signed the petition of dissent...

Read it all here. Shrimp out.