Posted on 04/02/2009 11:40:25 AM PDT by lightman
Three Members of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality Share Dissent 09-080-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Three members of the Task Force for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Studies on Sexuality issued a public statement March 28 to express their dissent over the content of two documents released by the task force. The chair of the task force responded to the statement.
On Feb. 19 the task force released a proposed social statement on human sexuality and a report recommending a process to consider changes to ministry policies that could make it possible for Lutherans in committed same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers.
Recommendations for both documents will be considered at the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the church's chief legislative body, Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis.
Because of theological and pragmatic concerns and because the proposed recommendation allows the ELCA's 65 synods and individual congregations to "determine their own practice," the Rev. Scott J. Suskovic, the Rev. Corrine R. Johnson and the Rev. Carol S. Hendrix said they felt compelled to offer a dissenting position, which is featured in the Appendix of the task force's report (Dissenting Position 1).
Suskovic, Johnson and Hendrix began their statement with thanks and gratitude for the opportunity to serve on the task force. Although in disagreement with the other 27 members and advisors of the task force on "traditional biblical interpretation and theological principles," they said they were regarded with "great kindness, dignity and respect."
Suskovic is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C. Johnson serves as director for development and public relations, Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp, Crystal Falls, Mich. Hendrix, a retired pastor, served as bishop of the ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod, Harrisburg, Pa., from 2001 to 2007.
The pastors said changing current policies would sever the ELCA from the "ecumenical church and the Christian consensus down through the ages."
They contend that the task force's report and recommendation, "which advocate same-gender unions and the ordination of non-celibate homosexual persons, have little biblical, historical and traditional support."
Of critical importance when considering sexuality is the role of God's commandments in the "moral ordering of the Christian life," they said. "We are convinced that God's intention for marriage -- life-long covenant of fidelity between a man and a woman -- established as the First Institute in Genesis 2 and reaffirmed by Jesus in Mark 10: 6-9, serves as the center around which all Christian sexual ethics are defined."
The pastors recommend that voting members of the assembly "affirm and uphold" current ELCA ministry and discipline policies, and affirm the pastoral guidance in a 1993 statement of the ELCA Conference of Bishops. The statement says that "there is basis neither in Scripture nor tradition for the establishment of an official ceremony by this church for the blessing of a homosexual relationship." Pastors within their local contexts are to "provide pastoral care for all whom they minister."
The church is deeply divided on the issue of human sexuality, the pastors said. The recommendations of the majority of the task force represent a "radical change" that is not only contrary to Scripture but one that "will splinter our congregations, alienate many of our members, further divide the unity of this church" and "grieve the heart of God," they said.
The Rev. Peter Strommen, Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, Prior Lake, Minn., and task force chair, called the dissenting statement "unfortunate and unnecessary."
"It was unnecessary because their dissenting view is already included in the Report and Recommendations Appendix, which was distributed widely February 19. It is unfortunate because by identifying their names and characterizing the process, they acted contrary to agreed upon protocol and ELCA practice. For instance, their statement might be interpreted to indicate that everyone else was of one mind when in fact the views of task force members were quite varied and diverse," Strommen said.
"Normally the chair of a task force is the person who speaks publicly on behalf of the task force. I do not believe it was their intent to disrespect the process but note that while individual task force members are free to express their personal views, it is not appropriate for task force members to make formal public statements or initiate what may be perceived as their own news release," he said.
- - - The "Statement by Three Dissenting Members of the ELCA Task Force on Human Sexuality" is at http://tinyurl.com/djwgop on the Web. The task force's "Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies" is available at http://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
This is posted primarily so that the bitter reaction of the Task Force Chairman so dutifully reported may be widely known.
Keep a Good Lent!
Be sure also to read:
Statement by Three Dissenting Members of the ELCA Task Force on Human Sexuality
“Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust”: A Critique by Carl E. Braaten
When There Are No Biblical or Theological Grounds to Change, Don’t
WordAlone Network responds to ELCA human sexuality proposals
Lutheran CORE leaders urge rejection of ELCA task force recommendations
That this is even a question in any supposed Christian Church is disgusting. I’m not just ragging on the ELCA either.
It also seems that all the denominations that have done this are steadily losing members. After all, why belong to a church if it has no firm beliefs, but just blows with the winds of change?
My dad is a retired ELCA pastor, and he thinks that no Christian church should consider ordaining gays or performing gay weddings. He said that the majority of Lutherans are Republicans and that the majority of Lutheran pastors are Democrats. He doesn’t know the reason. I read that, according to a 1988 survey, 63% of Lutherans voted for George H.W. Bush. Nationwide, he only got 54%.
I looked on the church's extensive web site dedicated to the issue: ELCA Proposed-Social-Statement and surprise! not a single link to a dissent by some members of the task force.
I thought surely the good Reverend Strommen wouldn't mislead us, so I searched through both the Report on Human Sexuality produced by the task force, and theReport and Recommendation on Ministry Policy, but, alas, not a single reference to dissenting opinions.
I'm sure somewhere there exists a document with some satement buried in an appendix that not all of the task force members agreed 100% with the recommendations, but for the Reverend Chairman Strommen to pretend that he intends for any dissenting view to be widely known or listened to is an outright lie. This is the way liberal committees work within churches, non-profits, and educational institutions: appoint a committee packed with people with the 'correct' viewpoint, work in secret to remove 'outside pressures' and 'obstacles to consensus', harangue and outvote the dissenting viewpoints into submission, then pressure the outvoted committee members to support the 'consensus' in order to preserve 'unity'.
The tactics of the Strommel and his dictatorial allies make me even madder than the outcome.
I downloaded the February 19 version of the Report and Recommendations which was embargoed and restricted to rostered leaders for 24 hours during the restricted period. That file had two dissenting positions at the very end. Position number one is the one authored by Bishop Hendrix et al. Position number two is an appeal for “full inclusion”—you can guess the rest.
If the dissents have been striken from the public documents then I can understand why the dissenters believed they had no other option but to go directly to the public.
Irrespective, I applaud them and pray that they, in the words of a Luther hymn, “keep...steadfast in Thy Word”.
I used to be a member of WELS. The Pastor told me several times that there is an increasing amount of people teaching religious doctrine in seminary that don’t believe in Jesus as God. Pure insanity, you can’t call yourself a Christian without Christ.
Is there a Lutheran ping list that’s not ELCA?
There is one Lutheran ping list.
This Pingmeister adds the ELCA initials in lavendar on matters pertaining to the gaysbian agenda so as to show that this is purely an ELCA issue—not something afflicting LCMS or WELS. Once in a while I use green for the ELCA letters if it is an issue about extreme environmentalism.
LCMS and WELS folks were rightly distressed back in the days when did not make that proper distinction.
But there is only one Lutheran Ping list.
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