Evangelical Lutheran Church at a Crossroads

The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ("ELCA") starts today and will address issues that will basically determine whether or not LGBT Lutherans will be granted full membership in the Church or relegated to continue as semi-welcomed second class members of the denomination. Depending upon the outcome this week, I will probably decide whether to remain in the Church or look for a different church home that is more welcoming - or perhaps simply give up on organized religion completely. The ELCA currently allows gay clergy, provided they remain celibate - a clear message to gay Lutherans that their relationships are not valued or acceptable regardless of what spin the Church tries to put on it. In my view, continued bigotry and discrimination in Christian denominations is the principle fuel behind all other forms of homophobia and the problems that it visits upon LGBT individuals. A key vote this evening will be a harbinger of whether gays will be thrown under the bus yet again to appease the Neanderthal, anti-modern element in the Church and the more lunatic elements of the Church in Africa. Here are some highlights from the Washington Times which interviewed the ELCA bishop for Virginia - one of my office subtenants:

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America's largest Lutheran denomination has reached its crossroads on homosexuality and allowing openly gay clergy, with crucial votes slated at its biennial assembly this week in Minneapolis that participants say are too close to call.

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"We recognize we're in for some long conversation this week," said Virginia Synod Bishop James F. Mauney, who oversees 42,000 members in 163 churches across the state. "I am hopeful that our worship will guide our conversation and we will be guided by the Holy Spirit." The gathering of 65 synods representing the 4.6-million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America mirrors a denomination split over homosexuality.

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Only celibate gay clergy can serve in ELCA churches. A small majority - 54 percent - of ELCA clergy support gay ordination, according to a Clergy Voices survey conducted in May and posted recently on the denomination's Web site. Of the two main documents on sexuality issues that will be considered at the ELCA assembly, one is a proposed social statement, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," which, as a statement of church teaching, must be passed by a two-thirds vote (about 700 people) of the 1,045 voting members present.

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The other document, called a "Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies," recommends a change in ELCA ministry policies so Lutherans who are in "publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gendered relationships" can serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers.

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But on Monday night, Lutherans will vote on whether the document, known in shorthand as "the recommendation," can be passed by a simple majority vote; that is about 520 people, greatly lowering the bar for passage. However, a two-thirds majority vote is needed to agree that the sexuality recommendation can pass with a simple majority. Bishop Mauney said everything hinges on Monday night's vote.

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Needless to say, I will be watching closely to see what happens. If a two-thirds vote is required, then it will be pretty clear that gay Lutherans are headed towards being thrown under the bus yet again.