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What's the difference? Isn't Lutheran ... er ... Lutheran?

Not exactly. Like all of Protestantdom, we are fractured into various groups, we call ours synods. The largest, and most disgustingly liberal synod, is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). They are an amalgamation of several smaller synods that joined in the 80's. The 2nd largest synod is the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS, named sobecause its HQ is in St. Louis. Its also my synod). It is much more conservative than ELCA. Then the next largest is the Wisconsin Synod, a small but very very conservative group. There are several others (AALC, ELS, etc.) Most other Lutheran synods do not associate with the ELCA over their liberal stances on the authority of the Bible, female "priestesses", and homosexuality. I suspect that if they rule on the affirmative on these resolutions, the ELCA will dissolve, as there are many good churches in the ELCA who are stuck in a liberal denomination.

I appreciate what you are saying with the different factions within Lutheranism. With that said - what's going to grab the attention here is the Lutheran label - the dinosaur media seldom (unless it suits their purposes) takes time to talk about types or numbers of believers. They will hoist this news and snap it at the public - "See, even Lutherans think it's ok to have sodomite priests." Hang on...

To my knowledge, the ELCA is the only Lutheran Church in the United States that ordains women. Now they would be the only one to ordain practicing homosexuals. Is there a correlation? Yes. In my opinion, of course. However, the LCMS is headed in the same direction. Only difference is that the LCMS will wait for 20 years before they jump off the cliff.
Father
Missouri Synod Church and school