September 24, 2009

CHICAGO – What now lies before the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is not human sexuality but "churchmanship," according to the Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom. He served two terms as the first presiding bishop of the ELCA beginning in 1987.

Although the word "churchmanship" lacks inclusiveness, after "years of searching for a better one, ‘churchmanship' still seems best," Chilstrom wrote in a Sept. 21 e-mail message to colleagues, called "The Real ‘CORE' Issue – Churchmanship."

Chilstrom wrote the message in anticipation of a Sept. 25-26 meeting of the Lutheran Coalition for Reform (CORE) – an organization of ELCA pastors, lay people, congregations and reform groups. Leaders and members of CORE are planning to discuss their response to actions taken by the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August. CORE ended its status as an independent organization affiliated with the ELCA during the assembly.

The assembly approved "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" – the denomination's 10th social statement. The statement addresses a spectrum of topics relevant to human sexuality from a Lutheran perspective. The assembly also approved a series of proposals to change ministry policies, including a policy to allow Lutherans in lifelong, publicly accountable, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.

In response to CORE's intent to seek other avenues for how it may relate to the ELCA, Chilstrom said the consequences of such action "would be corporate, personal and immediate. We would see the mission of the ELCA in this country and around the globe hobbled and maimed."

For years many Lutherans had hoped for the kinds of change that came at the assembly, Chilstrom wrote. "During all that time we never tried to organize another church body or some kind of independent entity within the ELCA," he said. "We never withdrew or reduced our support for the mission of the church. We never changed our wills or estate plans to cripple the seminaries, global missions, or other ministries of the church."

Chilstrom said he and many others are committed to respecting the "conscience bound" convictions of "those who believe we must continue to deny full rights to gay and lesbian persons who live by the same high standards we expect of straight Christians. This is part of our churchmanship – part of my personal churchmanship," he said.

Lutherans have differences that do not separate them "at the heart of the gospel," Chilstrom wrote. He cited differences in areas like health care, the war in the Middle East and the historic episcopate – a line of bishops extending back to the early church. "Why is human sexuality a more church-dividing issue for some than any of these other equally complex questions?" he asked.

Chilstrom advised that, at the very least, concerned Lutherans "need to try to slow it down" until the ELCA has had a chance "to take a deep breath and live into its future with common love and respect for each other."

He ended his statement by asking, "Can we think of a better resolution than the one we reached at our recent assembly, one that allows us to live with diversity in matters that are not central to the proclamation of law and gospel? This is the time to think and think and pray and pray again – as the church did at its assembly – before taking action."

ELCA News Service