As a practicing Lutheran, I am dismayed at the continuing evasiveness of the church leadership and their appointees on the Task Force on Sexuality in addressing the issue of where the church stands on the issue of endorsing homosexuality. Clearly the leadership of the church in Chicago wants to allow gay ordination and wants to support blessing of same sex unions, but they have been unable to get this culturally liberal position past the rank and file. The latest effort to ignore scripture, natural law and the will of the church membership is embodied in the latest recommendations of the Task Force on Sexuality on the subject of ordination of homosexual pastors.

In 2001, the church, responding to continued pressure from gay advocates, launched an expensive, multi-year, churchwide study on sexuality. The process is near a conclusion with the issuance of the Task Force’s final report and recommendations. The report, a proposed Social Statement on Sexuality, entitled “Gift and Trust” was issued on February 19. The “Recommendations on Ministry Policies,” issued at the same time, defy the previous will of the governed.

First of all, although the Task Force was specifically charged by the Churchwide Assembly in 2007 to come back with actual recommendations on Ordination, the Task Force chose to punt. It’s first two recommendations send back to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly (which will have representatives from the entire denomination) the question of “Do we (the Churchwide Assembly) want to actually respect committed homosexual relationships, yes or no.” Excuse me, the Churchwide Assembly voted 2 to 1 in 2005 not to create a ritual to bless committed homosexual relationships in any manner resembling marriage. The churchwide study revealed that the church population in toto rejected doing so by nearly 2 to 1. Only 23% of those surveyed actually favored blessing homosexual relationships and ordaining practicing homosexuals in committed relationships

Then the Task Force punted on the other critical question of ordination, throwing it back to this year’s 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Again, they asked – “What is the will of the Churchwide Assembly on ordaining gays in committed relationships?” – you take a vote, we can’t decide. Excuse me again, the Task Force was specifically asked to deal with this thorny question and make recommendations this year. They evaded their task even as they try to advance their obvious conclusion that we should ordain homosexuals. After all, once recommendations #1 and #2 are approved by the Chuchwide Assmbly (should they actually be approved, after all we can’t decide), the Task Force recommends endorsing Recommendation #4 which provides for “Structured Flexibility”, otherwise known as the “Local Option”. Local congregations and Synods can do whatever they want.   The Churchwide Assembly already decided this issue as well. In 2005, they voted not to change the prevailing policies prohibiting gay ordination. The vote was a clear majority against changing policies which would have actually required a two thirds vote to pass. Every amendment which was offered to liberalize the policies more crisply was defeated by nearly 2 to 1. Clearly, the church as a whole does not want to change its policies on sanctioning and blessing and ordaining those in gay relationships – committed, lifelong or whatever. 

What the Church has agreed upon, in both the votes of the Churchwide Assembly in 2005 and the continuing recommendations of the Task Force, is that they want the Lutherans (ELCA) to stick together, in spite of their differences on these critical issues. Agree to disagree; respect each others’ consciences, read the scripture, pray, do good works, and above all, abide in Jesus, his word and his way and his mission. 

So why am I dismayed:

·        Because the leadership will not let this matter rest, in spite of the clear will of the governed that says let the current policies stand. They are determined to keep re-opening the question until this church, as the Episcopalians have unfortunately done, embraces cultural relativism and the homosexual agenda.

·        Because the Task Force pretends to not have a consensus or is unable to take a tough stand. By throwing the matter back to the Churchwide Assembly, they have failed in their purpose.

·        Because the expense in time, money and emotion is sapping the church of energy and alienating many without being willing to bless and release those who may not agree with a firm policy position, no matter what it is. At least the Catholics stand for something, and if you don’t like it you can leave or, in some cases, they will kick you out.

·        Because our culture is under attack by relativists, post-moderns, the mainstream media, Hollywood, socialists and those who would undermine traditional values and the family. In the midst of all this, the Lutheran Church continues to allow a vocal minority to dictates its social agenda and is too weak to settle the matter once and for all.

The 2009 Churchwide Assembly may turn into another circus once again unless they enforce the rules, kick the rabble-rousers out and take a straight vote once and for all. Stop the studies; stop the obfuscation – what does this church stand for? I can’t belong to a church that doesn’t know what it believes or muffles it in fence-sitting theological language in a desperate effort not to offend anyone. By doing so, they offend us all, gay and straight, traditional and liberal.

Footnote 1: The people don’t want the homosexual agenda – only a virulent minority of elitists. These statistics are accurate, but have not been updated with the latest votes which continue the trend:

·        In Scandinavia, over 50% of births are out of wedlock. In Denmark, 60 % of first born children are born out of wedlock. These were once Lutheran countries

·        In the United States, more than 1 in 3 children is born out of wedlock

·        ELCA has 4.9 million members

·        A mere 14 openly homosexual seminarians or clergy serve in ELCA churches, according to the San Francisco-based Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministries.

·        Of 28,000 respondents to the Task Force study

§         56% oppose blessing and rostering (ordination)

§         23% favor blessing and rostering (ordination)

§         21% are in the middle or have no clear opinion

·        Best estimates are that 2-3 % of the population may characterize themselves as homosexual

·        In 1996 Congress passed the “Defense of Marriage Act” by 85 to 14 in the Senate and 342 to 67 in the House and Democratic President Clinton signed the bill

·        38 States, including North Carolina, have passed state laws protecting marriage

·        In November, 2004, 11 out of 11 states passed referenda and constitutional amendments banning gay marriage by majorities ranging from 57% in Oregon to 86% in Mississippi. The overall popular vote in these contests was an average 70% against gay marriage.

Footnote 2: 

The original Report of the Task Force in 2005 was a marvel of Lutheran obfuscation. The best commentary to date was made by veteran Lutheran observer Garrison Keillor (Prarie Home Companion) who said:

After three years, the Task Force “puts out a report which nobody can understand which says that essentially nothing has changed, and yet some things have changed, but we don’t approve of that and yet if you went ahead on a basis of conscience and did what you wanted to do, don’t worry about us coming after you because we wouldn’t do it. It’s sort of a don’t ask, don’t tell, never mind position.”

“And out comes the report and nobody can really be that angry about it because its made up of all this mish mash, this beautiful mish mash and these sentences that are like extruded marshmallow.”

“And so peace is kept on the basis of confusion. A Lutheran art to achieve strength through indirection and vagueness.”

A Prarie Home Companion, “The News From Lake Wobegon,” January 22, 2005