Lutheran (EL
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Posted on 08/23/2009 12:21:30 PM PDT by lightman
PASTORAL LETTER FROM PRESIDING BISHOP MARK HANSON
August 22, 2009
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. -- Colossians 3:14-15
I write to you from the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis with official information about the actions of this assembly related to human sexuality. I am grateful for the manner in which this church has engaged in this conversation. The way this assembly has discussed these questions is a continuation of the way this church has deliberated: with deep and heartfelt respect for each other, engaging with Scripture, listening to the faith stories and experiences of one another, and through worship and prayer seeking the discernment of the Spirit.
In my response to the voting members on Friday, August 21, I made this request: we need one another. We need time. We need the voices of those who lament and those who rejoice over these actions, for together we have been called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and engage in God’s mission for the life of the world.
The assembly adopted 676-338 -- precisely two-thirds of those voting -- “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” the ELCA’s 10th social statement, with minor editorial amendments. It also adopted a series of implementing resolutions with amendments. This theological and teaching document builds on the key Lutheran principles of justification by grace and Christian freedom to serve the neighbor. It emphasizes that central to our vocation, in relation to human sexuality, is the building and protection of trust in relationships. It therefore affirms that we are called to be trustworthy in our human sexuality and to build social institutions and practices where trust and trustworthy relationships can thrive. The social statement addresses marriage, same-gender relationships, families, protecting children, friendships, commitment, social responsibility and moral discernment. Regarding same-gender committed relationships, the social statement says that this church is not in agreement and recognizes the different perspectives which are present among us.
Our assembly also adopted resolutions proposed by the Church Council based on those contained in a “Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies.” The actions direct that changes be made to churchwide policy documents to make it possible for those in committed same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders in the ELCA. There were amendments to two of the proposals. The assembly adopted the resolutions in the following order, beginning with a strong statement about how we will live together in the face of our disagreements:
Resolution 3: “RESOLVED, that in the implementation of any resolutions on ministry policies, the ELCA commit itself to bear one another's burdens, love the neighbor, and respect the bound consciences of all." (Adopted 771-230 as amended)
Resolution 1: “RESOLVED, that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships.” (Adopted 619-402)
Resolution 2: “RESOLVED, that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church.” (Adopted 559-451)
Resolution 4: This resolution called upon members to respect the bound consciences of those with whom they disagree; declared intent to allow structured flexibility in decision-making about candidacy and the call process; eliminated the prohibition of rostered service by members in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships; recognized and committed to respect the conviction of members who believe that the ELCA should not call or roster people in committed same-gender relationships; called for development of accountability guidelines; directed that amendments to ministry policy documents be drafted and approved; and stated that this church continue to trust congregations, bishops, synods and others responsible for determining who should be called into public ministry. (Adopted 667-307 as amended)
I invite you into important, thoughtful, prayerful conversation about what all of this means for our life in mission together. What is absolutely important for me is that we have this conversation together.
We meet one another finally -- not in our agreements or our disagreements -- but at the foot of the cross, where God is faithful, where Christ is present with us, and where, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are one in Christ.
In Christ, The Rev. Mark S. Hanson ELCA Presiding Bishop
Comments of Bishop Hanson to the assembly at the conclusion of the decisions on human sexuality are at http://www.elca.org/assembly on the Web.
Were "spirit" not capitalized I would not know whether he refers to the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity or merely to the Zeitgeist
Come to think of it, when "engaging" the Scriptures is set equal to or inferior to our "experiences" capitalization machts nicht, it is the Zeitgeist.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Time to put the gay mixer Friday nights into overdrive.
Hanson is feeling mighty nice about himself today I suppose.
'Bound consciences'? Does this mean that if I truly believe I'm doing right, then everyone has to respect that? Does that mean that we should have respected Hitler and his cronies? After all, THEIR consciences were clear with regard to the Final Solution.
I have a real problem with this "Conscience as King" argument.
That is bishopspeak for "simmer down, you'll get over it."
Another Protestant church infiltrated by homosexual clergy thanks to brain dead laymembers. It must be very easy to take over a church’s hierarchy and overturn centuries of belief in the evil of homosexual behavior according to scripture.
You would have to be pretty stupid to continue supporting this church financially when those laymembes who can still think are voting with their feet to find religious fulfillment elsewhere.
I pledge to speak well of you, and ask you to do the same. One of the ways I pledge this is not to use the word "fear" in relationship to people's reactions to decisions. ... This needs to be a church safe for rich theological conversation ... it will take time to live into and process all that we have done. My prayer and my plea is that we take that time together rather than separately. ... Now, perhaps more than ever, we need to stay engaged with one another, not just talking with people with whom we agree. If you decide to leave, we will be diminished by your actions. ...
Yes, there is still room for "conversation"; but what issues from me it shall be direct and one-way:
"Not to oppose error is to approve it;
and not to defend truth is to suppress it;
and indeed to neglect to confound evil men, when we can do it,
is no less a sin than to encourage them."
--Pope St. Felix III
More like bishop-speak for “Put some ice on it!”
Hey this guy is good at quoting the bits of the Bible that suit him. What is all this crap about conversation nowadays - I’d like to have a very serious conversation with this guy and a really big family Bible (I heard they don’t leave marks - kinda like a phonebook)!
Seriously though the agenda of these people matters far more than the faithful servants of the church who have worked hard and put in their hard earned cash to support it for years - but hey he can condescendingly tell you to get over it using a Bible verse - God forgive me but this guy is a schmuck!
Mel
I guess each congregation is free to take their building and leave though. Beats the Episcopalian’s setup.
I have spent the last 35 years of my life praying for family members and friends and teaching that homosexuality is a SIN. This is a punch in the stomach from a church I have given freely to both in talent and tithes.
I find it extremely hard to believe that the ELCA could ignore Romans 1:26-27 and more importantly verse 32 for all the straight do-gooders.
I grieve for the church I love. My sister and her family have already told her pastor she will no longer be a member within an hour of the decision.
"We are for homosexual marriage. If you don't like it, tough."
“What is absolutely important for me is that we have this conversation together”
We already did and you said screw you were going to do this.
"Get with the program--your opinion is as good as mine (and you MUST acknowledge that mine is as good as yours)--and then let's join hands and sing KUM - BY - YA"
That is bishopspeak for "simmer down, you'll get over it."
Bitter clingers?
The leaders of the ELCA don’t know whether to feel gay about their accomplishments, or fagged out by the efforts taken to get there. *
*Both words used solely in their historical sense, of course, and not intended to be used in modern slang sense; i.e., I’m not referring to running out of cigarettes.
The Lutherans in Germany were happy to embrace Hitler and push Nazism too.
Now that jerk tries to clothe himself in the Gospel to justify his apostasy!
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