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There is a paradox within Midwest ELCA congregations, they are theologically liberal but socially conservative. They have no problem supporting the ordination of women into the ministry and practicing unionism. The ELCA has altar and pulpit fellowship with the Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian USA, and Disciples of Christ. Because of their social conservatism, the older members have problems with practicing homosexuals. They just don't like having to deal with practicing gays. Now, the “conservative” members of the ELCA fall back on Scripture, but only when it is convenient to do so. Where was the outrage before?

The ELCA has altar and pulpit fellowship with the Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian USA, and Disciples of Christ.

As Groucho would say, "close but no cigar.".

The "Full Comunion (altar and pulpit fellowship) Partners" are The Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, the Reformed Church in America, the Moravian Church, and The United Methodist Church.

Where was the outrage before?

In the hundreds who attended the many "Call to Faithfulness" conferences held at St. Olaf; in the hundreds who signed the "9.5 Theses"; and in the hundreds of clergy who have subscribed to the Rule of the Society of the Holy Trinity.

That’s an interesting bit of observation. Thanks for it. Always valuable to get such perspectives in a society that oversimplifies.

All politics are local, as Tip O’Neill once famously said.

It is interesting to see the reactions in each area of the country to this decision.

This is very true. I served an orthodox Lutheran parish in rural northern Minnesota some years ago. One of the things that was done from time to time in the cold weather months was to have purely social gatherings in the church fellowship hall. Sometimes we would play cards, whist, pinochle, etc.

Some weeks after one such event I happened to be at our regional pastoral conference in a town about hour’s drive away or a little more and, after the conference, going into a store in town, heard the locals talking about some Lutheran church north or there, that is, up in our area that sanctioned - gasp! - card playing in the church fellowship hall. How scandalous! I chatted with them for a while to see how they felt about other, ah, issues.

Drinking (in any amount, however moderate), dancing, and card playing were the works of the devil. Never mind that they had a female preacher, prayers for the dead, fellowship with those who denied the real presence of Christ in the sacrament, and were not too sure it was such a serious matter to concern oneself with as to whether God was Triune or not.

It was, needless to say, an eye-opening experience to hear such from average folk of an ELCA parish.