March 8, 2010

ITASCA, Ill. – The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was introduced to the content of a soon-to-be-released draft of a social statement on genetics in a closed background session here March 5.

The draft, prepared by the ELCA Task Force on Genetics, will be released to the church and to the public on March 18. The social statement, planned for action by the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, was requested by the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

Under the ELCA Open Meetings Policy, a closed background session is one in which the contents of the meeting may be reported for news purposes in a general way without specific attribution. Only the Conference of Bishops, advisory members, ELCA-related media representatives and other people as invited may be present.

Reporting to the conference were the Rev. Roger A. Willer, director for studies, and the Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director, both with ELCA Church in Society, the Rev. Steven L. Ullestad, bishop, ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, the conference liaison to the task force working on the social statement.

The bishops were told task force members are biologists, researchers, farmers, clergy, business people, ethicists, theologians and others. They were told the draft has five general themes:

• Christians view genetic developments in light of God's work "that is ever creative and steadfast"

• The statement holds that humans are responsible as "imaginative stewards" who are called to dedicate themselves to the flourishing of the creation

• The ethical imperative in relation to genetic advances is to respect and promote the community of life with justice and wisdom

• How the ELCA is called to be a community that engages the issues, individually, intentionally and deliberatively with care and respect

• It offers broad convictions regarding genetic developments but illustrates how those convictions play out with discussion of a few particular advances in medicine, stem cell research and genetic engineering of plants, animals and humans.

In discussion among the bishops, some expressed concern that this social statement, with its potentially controversial topics, will be challenging given the current controversy in the ELCA about the social statement on human sexuality, adopted at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Others said they have been anticipating release of the draft, and see it as positive teaching tool for the church.

Following release of the draft this month, ELCA leaders and members will be asked to study it and provide comment to the task force by Oct. 15. A final proposed document, with possible revisions based on comment and review, will be prepared and reviewed by the Church Council. The council is expected to transmit the proposed social statement for action by the 2011 assembly, which meets in Orlando.

Information about the social statement on genetics is at http://www.ELCA.org/genetics/. on the ELCA Web site.

ELCA News Service