CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 15-member Task Force for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Studies on Sexuality released Feb. 19 "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" -- a proposed social statement on human sexuality. The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly -- the chief legislative body of the church -- is expected to consider the social statement for adoption as an official statement Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis.
The proposed statement addresses a spectrum of concerns relevant to human sexuality from a Lutheran perspective. It responds to the question: "How do we understand humansexuality within the context of Jesus' invitation to love God and love our neighbor?" If adopted by the assembly, the social statement will assist the ELCA in its moral deliberation, govern its institutional policies and guide the church's public advocacy work.
While the document does not offer once-and-for-all answers to contemporary questions about sexuality, it "seeks to tap the deep roots of Scripture and the Lutheran theological tradition" for Lutherans to discern what is "responsible and faithful action," according to the proposed statement. Despite the varying viewpoints, the church encourages all people to live out their faith with "profound respect for the conscience-bound belief of the neighbor," said the proposed statement. The document calls on congregations to be safe places for children and youth, and it calls for education on human sexuality for children and youth.
"Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" completes a directive from the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to develop a social statement on human sexuality.
The task force also released a "Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies" to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly regarding the professional leadership of the church on Feb. 19. This document completes a directive from the 2007 assembly to addressand make recommendations on changes to policies that preclude Lutherans in committed, same-gender relationships from the ELCA's professional rosters.
The task force recommended that a process begin with the churchwide assembly, "declaring its intention about what it wants to do," according to the report. It proposed four steps to be taken consecutively. If the assembly agrees to the first, then the second, third and fourth would be considered only if the preceding steps have been approved.
The first step asks the assembly whether it is committed "to finding ways to allow congregations and synods that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships," said the report.
The second step asks the assembly whether it is committed to finding a way for Lutherans in committed, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA professional leaders -- clergy, associates in ministry, diaconal ministers and deaconesses.
If steps one and two are accepted, step three asks the assembly to commit to implementing steps one and two "in such away that all this church bear the burdens of the other, love the neighbor, and respect the bound conscience of any with whom theydisagree." According to the report, "decisions about policy that serve only the interests of one or another group will not be acceptable."
Step four presents a proposal for how the ELCA could move toward change "in a way that respects the bound conscience of all," said the report. The fourth step is different from the previous steps in that it is "not simply a commitment in principle, but makes a specific recommendation for flexibility within existing structures and practices of this church to allow for people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to be approved" for professional service inthe ELCA, stated the report.
The proposed social statement and the report and recommendation on ministry policies are two separate documents. They are open to review by the ELCA Church Council – the church's board of directors -- and will be considered by the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" and "Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies" are available at http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney on the ELCA Web site.
