Posted on 08/10/2005 12:03:38 PM PDT by SmithL
ORLANDO, Fla. - Just days ahead of key votes on the role of gays in the church, a Lutheran leader told a national assembly Wednesday he's "profoundly concerned that we not squander this great gift of unity" because of deep disagreement on the issue.
The Rev. James M. Childs, head of sexuality studies for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said proposals before the denomination's assembly on ordaining gays who are not celibate and blessing same-sex unions were written as "a plea that we work on it despite our differences."
Childs made the comments as the measures were formally presented without discussion to the more than 1,000 delegates at the weeklong meeting. Debate is expected to begin Thursday afternoon, and a vote is set for Friday, but both could be delayed by other assembly business.
Several delegates have said that the measures, based on years of work by a denominational task force, were confusing and their impact unclear. The proposals were meant as a compromise, aiming to uphold church restrictions on partnered gays, while allowing congregations and bishops to make exceptions in some cases without risking discipline.
The measures would:
_ Affirm the church ban on ordaining sexually active gays and lesbians, but allow bishops and church districts called synods to seek an exception for a particular candidate if that person is in a committed relationship and meets other conditions.
_ Uphold the denomination's prohibition against blessing of same-sex unions, but give bishops and pastors discretion in deciding how to minister to gay couples.
_ Call for unity, even though congregants disagree on the issue.
"This issue should not be church-dividing," said the Rev. Joseph Crippen, a Minnesota member of the Church Council, a top denominational body. "Our unity in Christ is stronger than what divides us on this issue."
Indeed, a schism in the 4.9 million-member church is not imminent, although conservative Lutherans have planned a November meeting to consider forming an association of like-minded congregations within the ELCA.
Delegates also are aware that debate over what the Bible says about homosexuality has divided other Protestant groups. The global Anglican Communion is struggling to stay together after its U.S. branch, the Episcopal Church, confirmed its first openly gay bishop two years ago.
Lutherans on opposing sides of the issue been separately lobbying against the task force recommendations for different reasons.
Conservatives say the proposals would effectively overturn prohibitions against non-celibate gays in the denomination's ministry. The conservative WordAlone Network has been distributing thick pamphlets contending there is no basis in Scripture for gay relationships.
But advocates for gays say the measures don't go far enough and would create a second-class roster for homosexual clergy in the church.
Members of Goodsoil, a coalition of Lutheran groups seeking full inclusion of gays, have lined hallways leading to daily meetings, holding poster-sized photos of their children or their same-sex partners to highlight the personal stories behind the deliberations. One gay couple brought their sons, and emphasized during a public hearing Tuesday night that they have been together for 15 years.
New England Synod Bishop Margaret Payne, who led the sexuality task force, said in an interview that the panel began its work looking for a "silver bullet," but found none.
"We had this dream that we would find the solution, then we realized we weren't going to find that," said Payne, who will not disclose her personal opinion on gays in the church. "The whole issue became are we going to work it out together or split?"
Aye, sometimes for the health of the body a malignant tumor must be removed.
This is the language of apostasy!
There can be no unity with false doctrine and wicked practices.
And the first night's foray into parliamentarianism left 'em bleating with no shepherd in sight. The frogs are cooked. How about some tartar sauce.
Dunderheaded thinking like this is the reason I quit the ELCA and became a Catholic.
That is precisely why we in the PCA split from the PCUSA in the '70s.
Christ came in Grace and Truth. One cannot be sacrificed for the other. If unity is not based in Truth, then it is a false unity.
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