Lutheran (EL
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Be rooted in Christ!
Posted on 09/22/2012 2:58:56 AM PDT by rhema
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America officially allows homosexual marriages, so says the “number two man” in the denomination, David Swartling. At the 2012 Southwestern Washington Synod Assembly it has been reported that, “(I)n response to a query from the floor of the assembly, Secretary of the ELCA David Swartling, at the assembly as the representative of the national church, said that the marriage of same-gender couples in states where that was legal was neither endorsed nor precluded by ELCA policy. Marriage in those circumstances was at the discretion of pastors and congregations.” (read here)
One of the duties of the Secretary of the ELCA is to “prepare interpretations, as necessary, of the Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.” (read here) So the Secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, David Swartling, is the highest authority in the ELCA when it come to interpreting ELCA policy. He says the ELCA allows the performing of homosexual marriages.
An Executive Director of a gay rights advocacy organization responded to Secretary Swartling's statement this way, “The clarification by Secretary of the ELCA Swartling is a benchmark of the position that ELCA policy takes nationally on the subject of pastors and congregations marrying same-gender couples where that is legal." (see here) What the Executive Director says is true. There should be no doubt that this is the ELCA's official stance. Do not allow anyone to tell you otherwise.
The media even confirms this. The Santa Fe New Mexican news site reported, in an article this summer, “Today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America allows ordination of clergy in same-sex relationships. Blessings of same-sex marriages — and marriages in states where they are legally permitted — are performed.” (read here)
This is important information because people continue to be given conflicting messages about the ELCA's position on gay marriage. One reader shared with me his concern about leaders trying to lessen or diminish the impact of the ELCA’s 2009 actions, stating, “ . . . ELCA bishops continue to tell congregations that the ELCA has not approved gay marriage taking place in its congregations.”
Do not be fooled. ELCA policy allows gay marriages in states where it is legal.
The Ichabod Lutheran Church in America can’t keep its congregant-mollifying propaganda consistent.
Homo “marriage” is “neither endorsed nor precluded by ELCA policy.”
I guess that Biblical morality thing doesn`t come into play here, does it?
Biblical morality, you say? The ELCA officially voted it to be outmoded and irrelevant in 2009.
“Number two man”? Nah. Too easy.
Revelation 22:15- anyone who practices sexual immorality will be denied entry to the Holy City, a metaphor for not qualifying for eternal life.
Any person who asks God to bless a union that He says is sin is taking God’s name in vain.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Be rooted in Christ!
Thanks rhema.
Cuing up the E.L.C.A. song!
Which is one of the reasons i no longer attend an ELCA church.
“Blessings of same-sex marriages — and marriages in states where they are legally permitted — are performed.”
Why would anyone belong to a group that wouldn’t perform a marriage unless the state gave its permission? They are so beholden to the state to define the institution they are not going to marry members of their faith over it, even though they believe ‘gay marriage’ is possible?! That might be more insane than buying into ‘gay marriage’ in the first place. “Sorry Ted and Ned, but the state says no, and they define marriage for us state by state, so no marriage for you even though we believe gay marriage is possible, tough luck!” Just bizarre.
I mean what if the state quit issuing marriage licenses to them altogether, no more married members of the ECLA?
Freegards
Same here. Twenty years ago we saw it coming.
Because “same sex marriage” is not a natural or inalienable right but a “government given right” and they know it. Why else would the homosexualist left be so hell-bent on enforcing this issue on everyone via the force of the state?
I think the ELCA voted that out long beforehand when they denied that the Bible is the infallible word of God.
Because “same sex marriage” is not a natural or inalienable right but a “government given right” and they know it.
Seems to me a faith can accept what what they want about who can be married despite what the state says about it, or how the state decides what definition it uses at any one time.
“Why else would the homosexualist left be so hell-bent on enforcing this issue on everyone via the force of the state?
Right, they need the state involved so they have a way to punish those who don’t buy into ‘gay marriage.’ But that doesn’t explain why a faith would only act on what they believe to be true if the state approves of it first, in my opinion.
Freegards
No wonder he’s the “number two” man! LOL
“Seems to me a faith can accept what what they want about who can be married despite what the state says about it, or how the state decides what definition it uses at any one time.”
That’s because you’re using rational thought, something these ELCA libs abandoned long ago:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201:18-32&version=NKJV
Yeah, there isn’t much rational thought going on with this issue for sure as concerns this bunch. It just seems weird that they are letting their homosexual members down in states that don’t have legal recognition of ‘gay marriage.’
Freegards
Yep.. not in line with “contemporary thinking.”
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