March 9, 2005

DALLAS – The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), acknowledging its members are "not of one mind" on issues related to homosexuality, sent a message to the church at the conclusion of its spring meeting here. The conference urged the church to affirm two recommendations resulting from a three-year study on homosexuality conducted by a task force of the church, but could offer no definitive advice on the most controversial of the three recommendations.

The ELCA Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the 65 ELCA synod bishops, ELCA secretary and ELCA presiding bishop. It met here March 3-7.

The report and recommendations, released Jan. 13, provides possible answers to two key questions on homosexuality: Should the church bless same-gender relationships? Should the church allow people in such relationships to serve the church as professional lay and ordained ministers?

The task force recommended that the ELCA:

+ concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of disagreements. The Conference of Bishops called on the church to affirm this recommendation. "We understand that this recommendation commits us to continuing our journey together for the sake of God's mission," the bishops' message said.

+ continue to respect the pastoral guidance of a 1993 statement of the ELCA Conference of Bishops opposing the blessing of homosexual relationships but remaining open to pastors wanting to provide pastoral care for gay and lesbian Lutherans. The bishops asked the church to affirm the 1993 statement "leaving it as it was intended – a matter of advice and counsel," the message said.

+ continue under current standards that expect unmarried ministers to abstain from sexual relations – defining marriage as being between a man and a woman – but respecting the consciences of those who find these standards in conflict with the mission of the church, the ELCA may choose to refrain from disciplining gay and lesbian ministers in committed relationships and from disciplining those who call or approve partnered gay or lesbian people for ministry.

"We acknowledge that as a conference we are unable to offer a definitive word of advice on recommendation three," the Conference of Bishops said. "Some bishops are convinced there should be no change in the practice and policy of our church. Other bishops favor changes both in policy and in practice though there is no consensus as to how such changes should take place."

The bishops acknowledged their differences on homosexuality. "We hold each other in love and respect. We recognize that our differences are rooted in deeply held convictions. We honor the integrity of these convictions of conscience and faith ‘with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3),'" the message said.

"For the sake of the unity of this church and its mission, we are not divided by these differences," the message said. "As evidence of this, we point to the extraordinary engagement of this church in God's mission in the world and our full participation in that work. We thank God for this."

The Conference of Bishops' message said they "see throughout this church that a commitment to the authority of Scripture is not solely the concern of those who seek to maintain the tradition. Similarly compassion for gay and lesbian persons and a commitment that they be treated justly are not solely concerns of those advocating change."

Between now and the churchwide assembly, the conference called on ELCA members to unite in prayer, read Scripture and Luther's Large Catechism, participate in weekly worship, study theology, practice forgiveness, invite people to a faith community, and "serve and love in Christ's name."

"We understand in all of this that we have responsibility for the stewardship of the unity given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. We also understand that we exercise that stewardship with brothers and sisters of the whole Church throughout the world," the message said.

"We further understand that we have a responsibility for protection of the most vulnerable. This includes not only the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger, but also all who feel estranged by virtue of their deeply held convictions," the message concluded.

The one-page message was intended to advise the boards of the ELCA Division for Church in Society, ELCA Division for Ministry, and the ELCA Church Council, as each considers what to do with the task force report and recommendations on homosexuality. Eventually, the report and its recommendations, along with proposals on how to consider the issues, will make their way to the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Aug. 8-14, in Orlando, Fla.

Long Hours to Craft Message

The Conference of Bishops debated and discussed the task force recommendations over several hours during their meeting here. Those sessions included a two-and-one-half hour closed, off-the-record session March 6; an unplanned, informal two-hour writing session the same day attended by more than 40 bishops; and more than two hours of debate and discussion March 7 before the conference adopted the statement by consensus and adjourned.

The bishops took a series of "straw" votes, intended to determine the possibilities, if any, on which they could agree regarding recommendation three. For example, by a vote of 36-22, the bishops present favored that there be no votes taken at the churchwide assembly on sexuality issues. On another possibility, they narrowly favored by a vote of 36-26 all three recommendations provided there were a series of precise "exception" procedures that would allow people who are gay and lesbian and in committed relationships to serve as professional lay and ordained leaders. On still another possibility, the bishops favored 29-26 possible legislative language that would create a "provisional" clergy roster, which would limit the types of service for which these leaders would be eligible.

"The third recommendation is so problematic for us," said the Rev. E. Roy Riley, bishop of the ELCA New Jersey Synod, Hamilton Square, and chair of the Conference of Bishops, in an interview with the ELCA News Service. Many conference members seemed willing to create "space" for people who are gay and lesbian and in committed relationships to serve as professional lay and ordained leaders, but "there's simply no consensus on how that might be done," he said.

"There are, of course, members of the conference who believe that we would be better off not creating any space whatsoever and would be more affirming of simply continuing the welcoming kind of stance that we have been in for gay and lesbian persons in the church," Riley added.

Calling the message "significant" for the conference, Riley said he believes the bishops' struggle was similar to what the voting members will experience at the churchwide assembly in Orlando.

"It will just be a much larger gathering. But I think there's a lot of trust Ö and confidence in the Spirit's work among the people of God as they gather in assembly in Orlando," he said. – -

The full text of the Conference of Bishops message is at http://www.elca.org/sr/bishopsregardtostudy.html on the ELCA Web site.

ELCA News Service