Minneapolis ELCA Leaders Vote to Oppose Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment

I have noted many times before on this blog that gay Catholics who want to remain church goers but who aren't masochists need to check out the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ("ELCA"). The services are virtually identical to a Roman Catholic mass - in fact, more like the Catholic masses of my youth than current Catholic services - and the ELCA is LGBT accepting. This was recently demonstrated in Washington State where the ELCA bishop went on record and testified before the Washington legislature in support of passage of same sex marriage. Now, in Minneapolis, the ELCA leadership of the Minneapolis Synod has voted to oppose the anti-gay marriage amendment on the ballot in November. That the ELCA and Episcopal Church among others support same sex marriage underscores the reality that the Mormon and Catholic Churches and fundamentalist Christians are seeking to deprive other denominations and individuals of their religious freedom. Here are highlights from KAAL-TV on the ELCA action:

Evangelical Lutheran Church leaders in Minneapolis have decided they will not endorse a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Minnesota. One out of every four Minnesotans belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

700 voting members of the Minneapolis synod, representing 160 churches, gathered at Shepard of the Lake Church in Prior Lake Friday night to decide what their collective opinion should be about gay marriage. According to one member, Pastor Justin Lind-Ayres of Bethany Lutheran Church, "I see the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as those people who are being pushed to the margins, particularly through this marriage amendment."

In part, the resolution states, "Resolved, that the Minneapolis Area Synod meeting in assembly oppose the Minnesota state constitutional amendment on marriage proposed for the 2012 general ballot that would prevent one group of committed couples and their families from pursuing ordinary legislative or legal means to gain the support and protections afforded to all other(s)."

In the end, the resolution overwhelmingly passed. Members of Minnesota's five other Evangelical Lutheran Church synods are expected to vote on similar gay marriage amendment resolutions this spring.

But what does it all mean? The voting members of the synod say their decision has no political implications. They simply want to spread the word to all the members of all their congregations, and to the general public, that the synod's official stance is to oppose the amendment.

Pastor Brad Froslee of Calvary Lutheran Church explained, "We are encouraging the civil rights of all citizens of the state and are against people being signaled out or targeted by a particular constitutional amendment or legislative action."

What a contrast from the Roman Catholic Church which seeks to deprive LGBT citizens of equality under the civil laws and to inflict its supposed dogma on all citizens of Minnesota. It is encouraging to see that some of the "good Christians" are finally beginning to find their voice.