October 6, 2009

CHICAGO – The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reviewed and discussed drafts of possible revisions to ELCA ministry policies during their Oct. 1-6 meeting here. As a result of their discussions, the bishops requested they have another opportunity to review updated revisions, likely to mean that final action on new policy language will not occur before April 2010.

The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and secretary.

The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which met in August in Minneapolis, directed the church to revise its ministry policies. One revision will make it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers. The assembly also adopted a social statement on human sexuality.

The Rev. Stanley N. Olson, executive director, ELCA Vocation and Education, said the drafts were the result of collaborative work between staff of the Office of the Secretary, Vocation and Education, and the Committee on Appeals. An implementing resolution in the social statement affects the ELCA Board of Pensions work, he said.

The bishops discussed possible revisions to "Vision and Expectations" which informs the church's vision for ministry and the expectations it places on professional leaders; "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline," which describes the grounds on which the ELCA's professional leaders may be subject to discipline; plus possible revisions to the policies for reinstatement to the church's official rosters. Draft language for manuals to direct committees that work with candidates for ministry, known as candidacy committees, is yet to be done, he said.

"This consultation with you is critical, vital ... very essential," Olson said in introducing the draft changes. The documents are now considered public and will be posted on the Web about Oct. 15, he said. He welcomed comments on the draft changes from throughout the ELCA. "We will be well-served if there are (many) people reading these," he said.

"We intended to make only necessary changes, minimal language, not attempting to cover every possible situation," Olson said, referring to possible revisions in Vision and Expectations. He also said those working on the documents are committed to monitoring the changes to see if the revisions are working as intended.

The Rev. A. Donald Main, Lancaster, Pa., a former synod bishop, chairs the ELCA Committee on Appeals. He presented draft changes to Definitions and Guidelines.

"The committee sought to use language from the social statement, to be consistent, and we sought to be balanced in addressing all future rostered leaders. The committee feels our changes are unifying, not separating, and they establish one standard for all," he said, inviting the bishops to provide suggestions to the draft changes.

The bishops spent several hours providing feedback and in discussion about the drafts. Many asked Olson and Main to be sure the process allowed the bishops an opportunity to see and discuss updated language before the ELCA Church Council takes action making the changes permanent. Olson said the staff will bring a report about possible revisions to next month's council meeting. The Conference of Bishops requested that members review updated draft language to policy documents, most likely to occur at their March 2010 meeting before the council takes final action in April 2010.

Bishops raised and discussed several concerns related to the drafts. Among them, they asked whether the suggested policies affirmed those who, for confessional and biblical reasons, do not agree with the new policies as the assembly actions stated; whether there's a place in the suggested changes that address a bishop's own conscience regarding professional leaders in same-gender relationships; whether forms will indicate if a candidate is in a same-gender relationship and how the church will know if a relationship has ended; how candidates on unofficial "extraordinary rosters" may enter the ELCA's process; and what "publicly accountable" means.

ELCA News Service