ELCA Not Taking the Straight Path; Gay Schmeling Gets Widespread Support

Memorials from ELCA:

"Blessing of same-sex relationships: Three synods adopted similar memorials discouraging blessing of same-sex relationships, pending decisions to be made at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod asked for liturgies for the blessing of "same-gender unions." The Memorials Committee recommended referring these memorials and a record of the Churchwide Assembly's discussion to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality, and urged that "it
consider this information in its ongoing discernment and deliberation."

+ Standards for professional leaders: There were 23 memorials in this category. The ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod asked the Churchwide Assembly to remove language from church policy that precludes people who are gay or lesbian and in a homosexual relationship from serving in an official leadership role in the church. The ELCA Northeastern Iowa synod asked the assembly not to change its policy documents for ordained ministers.

Twenty-one synods adopted nearly identical memorials concerning a response to a discipline hearing committee that was formed to consider charges filed by the Rev. Ronald B. Warren, bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Synod, Atlanta, against a former
ELCA pastor, Bradley E. Schmeling, Atlanta.

The hearing committee agreed with Warren and said Schmeling should be removed from the clergy roster on Aug. 15, 2007. It also criticized church policy regarding sexual conduct for ordained ministers, and suggested that synods call on the church-wide organization to change those policies. Recently, the ELCA Committee on Appeals upheld the original decision but reversed the date Schmeling was to be removed from the roster, making it effective July 2. It also said the discipline hearing committee exceeded the authority granted to it by the ELCA constitution when it suggested there be changes in ELCA clergy policies.

In general these 21 synod memorials would direct specific churchwide units to develop amendments to ELCA clergy standards, permitting people who are gay or lesbian and in committed homosexual relationships to serve as ordained and professional lay leaders in the church. The memorials also ask for reinstatement of people -- without the current requirement of a five-year waiting period -- who were removed or resigned from the official leadership rosters of the church. The Memorials Committee recommended the Churchwide Assembly refer all of these memorials and the verbatim record of the assembly's discussion about them to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality, urging that the task force consider this information in its ongoing discernment and deliberation.

+ Referrals to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality: Four synods adopted similar memorials asking the Churchwide Assembly to refer all memorials and resolutions regarding blessings of same-sex unions and ordination of people who are gay or lesbian and in committed relationships to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality. Four synods called for the church to wait until the 2009 Churchwide Assembly to re-open the ordination question; three other synods asked that the Churchwide Assembly not consider any policy changes, or asked that proposals for policy change be forwarded to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality as it prepares to present a social statement on human sexuality for consideration at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.

The Memorials Committee recommended that all of these memorials and the verbatim record of the Churchwide Assembly's discussion be forwarded to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality and urged that the task force consider this information in its ongoing discernment and deliberation."

GJ - Count on WELS and Missouri to continue following ELCA down this path, always a few years behind. Continued joint-ministry efforts among the three will guarantee this result.