[sine_nomine]

ELCA has been ordaining homosexuals for decades. They even stated that fact in The Lutheran magazine, when Ed Trexler was the editor. I would date his editorial about 1988 or so.

Bishop Hanson has been doing the heavy lifting for the homosexual lobby for a long time, when he was still a local bishop in Minnesota. The two Twin City bishops were gung ho for the homosexual activism at this convention.

The convention did not fool anyone, I'm sure. The Lavender Mafia will continue to grow in influence as people flee to other venues. The gay lobby won a few this time and lost nothing. Bishops wanted to avoid a vote so they could do what they wanted, without restrictions. The social statement will be out - or outted - in three years. ELCA will be a husk, even more than it is now. Regular giving is flat or even declining as costs go up.

[zadox]

I'd say this is moderately horrid news- the vote of 503 against and 490 for is absurdly close. I've been attending an ELCA church for the last four years and when our church did the "sexuality study", as requested by the ELCA, I'd guess that over 90% of the congregation held an orthodox biblical view on this issue: practicing gays should not be ordained. The irony is that our delegate to the assembly is one of the few strong advocates for ordaining homosexuals. I get the feeling that this domination is speeding into irrelevancy. What good is salt if....