ELCA Churchwide Assembly - 4th Update

UPDATED: Only one resolutions remains to be voted on. The following tree resolutions have been passed in the affirmative:

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1. Step one asks the assembly whether, in principle, this church is committed to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.
2. Step two asks the assembly whether, in principle, this church is committed to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as professional leaders of this church.
3. Step three asks this church whether, in the future implementation of these commitments, it will make decisions so that all in this church bear the burdens of the other, and respect the bound consciences of all.

The ELCA has taken the first steps to implement the social statement on human sexuality adopted earlier in the week by a two thirds vote. These first steps encourage:

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Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have been asked to implement the newly adopted social statement on human sexuality by continuing the study of sexuality, assist members to welcome people who are gay and lesbians, encourage comprehensive sex education programs in public schools, support the church’s work to combat HIV/AIDS and to take the “spirit of this statement” into all appropriate activities.

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The resolutions also asked the ELCA’s Board of Pensions to amend its benefit policies to bring them in line with the social statement, presumably to provide benefits for partners of ELCA employees who are in same-gender relationships.

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With respect to the issue of clergy in partnered same sex relationships, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly has also moved closer to approving partner clergy in committed same sex relationships with one more vote yet to go. Highlights on this issue to date are as follows:

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Voting members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are in the middle of taking steps to make it possible for the Lutherans in same-gender relationships to serve as professional leaders in the denomination. . . . A majority vote is required to pass each of the four resolutions. With a 771-230 vote, the assembly amended and approved a resolution that states "that in the implementation of any resolutions on ministry policies, the ELCA commit itself to bear one another's burdens, love the neighbor, and respect the bound consciences of all." With a 619-402 vote, the assembly approved a second resolution that commits the ELCA "to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountably life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships." Prior to considering the two resolutions, voting members defeated a "substitute" motion with a 344-670 vote to strike out all four resolutions and replace it with the following: "rostered leadership of this church who are homosexual in their self understanding are expected to abstain from homosexual sexual relations and practicing homosexual persons are precluded from rostered leadership in this church."

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During the afternoon plenary, voting members will consider the two remaining resolutions -- that the denomination find a way for Lutherans in same-sex relationships to serve as ordained ministers and other professional leadership roles in the church, and that the denomination consider a proposal for how it will exercise flexibility within existing structures and practices to allow for Lutherans in same-sex relations to be approved for professional service in the church.

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I continue to hope that the ELCA will do the right thing and approve both of the remaining resolutions.