Lutheran Church Votes to Turn the Other Cheek on Gay Ministers
Ironically, the Lutheran Church took a page from “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” today at its national assembly on Chicago’s Navy Pier. The Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in America (ELCA) voted to direct church leaders to “refrain from or demonstrate restraint” when enforcing the church’s ban on non-celibate gay clergy. Yesterday the ELCA rejected a proposal that would have eliminated the ban altogether, according to an article just posted on The Chicago Sun-Times’ Website.
In essence, the Lutheran Church has chosen to make it OK to ignore its own rules rather than summon the grace and courage to get rid of rules that foster exclusion, intolerance and persecution. Like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Lutheran’s new “Refrain and Restrain” could be viewed as one baby step forward for gay rights. It will likely allow gay Lutheran ministers to take fewer casualties. But they did not win the battle.
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August 11th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Your analysis is right on. MAYBE one little baby and fewer casualties, but not victory. Not even close. I was there, blogging about it at http://reclaimingthefword.com. And there is video posted from Brad Schmeling’s sermon at the Goodsoil worship service. Lots of other things happened, too, including of all things an exciting election for Secretary of the church. Go figure. Thanks for a great blog. Glad I found it.
August 13th, 2007 at 1:05 am
The Lutheran Churchis to be commended for it’s way more enlightened stance. Once again, the Lutherans historically beat the pants off the Roman Catholic Church, the church which winks at child molestation. And now they’ve started a witch hunt for gays within their own ranks and in seminaries. And I was born into a Roman Catholic family. But I knew something was wrong when I saw my grandparents and aunts and uncles *kissing the ring* of the Archbishop of Boston.