Lutheran (ELCA) Ping!
Posted on 08/11/2007 5:12:12 PM PDT by lightman
Outrage as US Lutherans Ease Rules on Pastors in Gay Relationships
The largest Lutheran body in the US has caused outrage in the wider Christian community as it controversially decided not to punish homosexual clergy who are in sexual relationships, according to an announcement made on Saturday.
by Daniel Blake Posted: Saturday, August 11, 2007, 19:50 (BST)
The largest Lutheran body in the US has caused outrage in the wider Christian community as it controversially decided not to punish homosexual clergy who are in sexual relationships, according to an announcement made on Saturday.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) passed a resolution at its annual assembly urging bishops to refrain from disciplining pastors who are in “faithful committed same-gender relationships”.
The resolution was passed by a vote of 538-431.
A day earlier, attendees voted down a measure that would have ended a ban on non-celibate gay clergy. But Saturday’s vote means those who violate that policy can no longer be tried or punished.
Phil Soucy, spokesman for Lutherans Concerned, a gay-lesbian rights group within the Church said: “The Church ... has just said 'Do not do punishments'. That is huge.”
The 4.8-million member ELCA had previously allowed gays to serve as pastors, but only under the condition that they abstained from any sexual relations.
The conference also instructed a committee that is developing a social statement on sexuality to further investigate the issue. The committee is scheduled to release its report in 2009.
Since the ELCA was founded in 1988, the body has ordered three pastors in gay relationships to be removed from their ministries.
The announcement has greatly outraged conservatives within the Christian community who follow the historic Christian teachings, which declares homosexuality a sin according to Scripture.
Rev. Mark Chavez, leader of Lutheran CORE, a group that says non-celibate gays should not serve as pastors, called the decision “tragic”.
“This decision will be an excuse for bishops to disobey ELCA policy,” he said. “This decision does not reflect the will of the people, but of bishops and clergy who disregard God’s word.”
The gay clergy issue has become an increasingly volatile subject amongst Christian denominations – in particular the 77-million member strong worldwide Anglican Communion is on the verge of schism as it debates the controversial issue.
But please remember, this was a split vote. There are many orthodox Christians within the ELCA who are grieved and who are now determined to work all the harder to prevent further shipwreck in 2009, when this Assembly shall convene again.
Ping.
Martin Luther just rolled over in his grave.
Any church that openly embraces homosexuality like this is NOT a christian church, just a place where liberals go to play at being christian. John gave warning to churches like this in his opening chapters of Revelation.
Martin Luther, Thesis # 1, posted on the castle church door of Wittenberg, 31 October AD 1517:
When our Lord Jesus Christ said, "Repent" he willed that the entire life of believers be one of repentence.
You are right. There are many conservative ELCA that have stayed members but as the blatant agenda is enacted one way or another, I wonder what they will do. Ever heard of Word Alone Network? They have been standing against the railroad.
Every time sexuality is “studied” by the ELCA and the members react negatively to the enlightened teachings, they table the issue to a committee (stacked) for further study. They bring it back up again, same story second verse and they will continue to until everyone that remains agrees with the liberal stand.
We left about 12 years ago and it was extremely painful but the direction of the ELCA was clear and it has shown itself consistent. Back then, several main line churches contributed to “Re-Imagining” workshops which were heavy on feminist theology/apostasy. A lesbian Lutheran pastor administered communion consisting of milk and honey because it represented fluids from women’s bodies. They praised the goddess Sophia. This REALLY took place but when we wanted our congregation to make a stand by not sending any money to headquarters, they were afraid they wouldn’t get any more pastors...etc. They would rather have their head in the sand but now, I think they may be waking up maybe too late.
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The slippery slope gets a little worse. The militant homosexuals have succeeded in turning the Episcopalians and now Lutherans away from Scripture and they won't stop until they have destroyed all of Christianity.
Does this Christian denomination pass your religious test for public office?
ping.
The Spanish government is planning to punish the Catholic Church for opposing homosexuality.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1879434/posts
As one baptised and confirmed in the Lutheran Church, the only thing I can say to you is...
GET OUT!
Your fellowship is antichrist.
I visited a Missouri Synod Lutheran church recently. Got there on their communion day so din't stay for that. Was thinking about looking into joining, but doubt I will now.
The Presbyterian church I visited was also full of controversy and politics as well. It seems that anything moral and good is under attack by fiends, sexual and political these days!!!
The maddening thing is the glee with which the devilish MSM just goes orgasmic over this stuff!!!
One second slow dear FRiend. One second. :)
Got room for a Missouri Synod Lutheran Girl on your ping list, too?
We don’t suffer such foolishness, but I don’t doubt that having to fight this stuff IS right around the corner. *SIGH*
Former Lutheran bump.
I understand your loyalty to your denomination. But when you’ve finally had enough, please — come home to Rome.
Note the date at the end of the article:
"But the practical result of this principle is one on which there is no need of speculating; it works in one unvarying way. When error is admitted into the Church, it will be found that the stages of its progress are always three. It begins by asking toleration. Its friends say to the majority: You need not be afraid of us; we are few and weak; only let us alone; we shall not disturb the faith of others. The Church has her standards of doctrine; of course we shall never interfere with them; we only ask for ourselves to be spared interference with our private opinions. Indulged in this for a time, error goes on to assert equal rights. Truth and error are two balancing forces. The Church shall do nothing which looks like deciding between them; that would be partiality. It is bigotry to assert any superior right for the truth. We are to agree to differ and any favoring of the truth, because it is truth, is partisanship. What the friends of truth and error hold in common is fundamental. Anything on which they differ is “ipso facto” non-essential. Anybody who makes account of such a thing is a disturber of the peace of the church. Truth and error are two co-ordinate powers, and the great secret of church-statesmanship is to preserve the balance between them. From this point error soon goes on to its natural end, which is to assert supremacy. Truth started with tolerating; it comes to be merely tolerated and that only for a time. Error claims a preference for its judgments on all disputed points. It puts men into position, not as at first in spite of their departure from the Church’s faith, but in consequence of it. Their recommendation is that they repudiate that faith, and position is given them to teach others to repudiate it, and make them skillful in combating it." (pp. 195-196)
From: “THE CONSERVATIVE REFORMATION AND ITS THEOLOGY as represented in the Augsburg Confession and in the history and literature of the Evangelical Lutheran Church” by Charles P. Krauth, D.D. (1871).
My Father was a Lutheran and I can say that he would not be amused.
452nd Heavy Bombardment group, 728th squadron
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