ELCIC Parish Ordains Married Gay as Pastor

Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Newmarket, Ontario, a parish within the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, a sister denomination to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ("ELCA") of which I am a member, has pushed the envelop and installed Lionel Ketola (pictured at left), who is is openly gay and legally married to Steven Loweth, as its new associate pastor. Needless to say, some of the Neanderthal elements in the ELCIC are having vapors, including Bishop Michael Pryse of the Eastern Synod of the ELCIC who publicly censured the congregation at the synod's July 9-13 assembly in London, Ontario. Holy Cross Lutheran is a member of the Reconciling in Christ program and welcomes EVERYONE - what a refreshing concept - all those who have ever felt excluded by the Church because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental challenges, financial resources, or family status.

*

Lutherans Concerned, reports that the congregation knew that the rules of the Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) did not allow gay clergy who were openly public about their orientation--but they were compelled by the gifts and talents of Ketola and decided to be faithful to their calling and his calling, despite the possibility of punishments. Nonetheless, the parish ordained Ketola under a rite called "extra ordinem" (outside the regular rule), under a provision in "The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church" This rite allows congregations to ordain when bishops will not. The Book of Concord consists of 10 documents recognized worldwide as the statement of Lutheran doctrine since 1580. Ketola is the first ELM candidate to be called to ministry in Canada.

*

What makes the whole story more interesting and important as reported by Lutherans Concerned is this :

*

But what was surprising was that the synod assembly, which meets every two years, also passed resolutions that encourage the bishop and synod council to exercise restraint in disciplining pastors and congregations who in good conscience call pastors like Lionel Ketola, and those who in good conscience bless or marry same-gender couples. So, while the Bishop disciplined the congregation and publicly censured and admonished all other clergy who participated in the extraordinary ordination, the voting body asked the officials to consider further actions with great care and restraint.

*

Unlike the Roman Catholic Church where the hierarchy basically is accountable to no one and the Pope, bishops and cardinals (who have become corrupt like so many despots) think of themselves as feudal lords more or less, in both the ELCIC and the ELCA, ultimate power resides in the national church wide assembly and locally with the synods. Thus, the voting body has told Bishop Pryse what might be construed as a "hey, not so fast" message.

*

Making the story yet more amazing is that Holy Cross, a very small parish, came up with gift of $27,000 which helped bridge a gap in the synod budget. Lutherans Concerned's statement on the whole affair read in part as follows:

*

"The actions of Holy Cross have illuminated an injustice and drawn a response from the institution. We can only hope that the Holy Spirit will work in all of this such that full inclusion becomes ordinary rather extraordinary."

*

At times I wonder if the real issue isn't actually that the straights in Church denominations are afraid that openly gay clergy who are well adjusted with who they are, good speakers, and truly spiritual individuals might show up the sexually repressed and sexually obsessed straights as inferior and thereby expose the lie that gays are sinners and inferior. What do you think?