ELCA NEWS SERVICE
October 29, 2009
Some ELCA Congregations Vote to Leave or Redirect Funds, Find It's Not Easy
09-241-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), leaders and members have responded in a variety of ways to changes in the church's ministry polices, a decision made by voting members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Some members agreed with the decision. Some were opposed. Some weren't sure how to react.
Since the assembly, some ELCA congregations have taken votes to leave the denomination or redirect funds away from the ELCA. Leaders and members in a few such congregations report it's not always easy to make such choices, and there can be unintended consequences.
The 2009 assembly, which met Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis, adopted proposals to change ELCA ministry policies. One change makes it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
For some ELCA leaders and members, the assembly directive was inconsistent with their understanding of biblical authority. They often repeat the assertion that "the ELCA has left them."
The assembly also adopted by exactly a two-thirds majority a social statement on human sexuality. The statement addressed a wide range of matters related to human sexuality, but a portion of it addressed same-gender relationships, causing disagreement among the voting members.
Through Oct. 27, the ELCA Office of the Secretary reports an estimated 50 of the ELCA's 10,396 congregations have taken first votes to leave the denomination or have scheduled them, nearly all because of the assembly's actions on sexuality. Five such votes have failed. The estimate is based on reports from synod bishops, said David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary.
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GJ - ELCA's Gospel Reductionism (everyone is saved) is exactly the same as UOJ, with slightly different wording and identical results. All the Pietistic excuses for The CORE can be used to promote "a ministry to, by, and for homosexuals."
