Lutheran church gay marriage
ELCA will not delete conscience protections for gay marriage opponents: official
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will not remove conscience protections for members who oppose same-sex marriage, according to a church official.
In 2022, the progressive mainline denomination voted to approve an proofreading process for a 2009 document, which, among other things, required the denomination to respect alternative opinions on LGBT issues among members.
Some expressed concern that the edits could lead to the removal of conscience protections for member congregations that are theologically opposed to recognizing same-sex marriages.
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However, Ryan P. Cumming, program director for the ELCA's Theological Ethics, Teaching, and Community Engagement, has stated that this will not be the case.
In comments emailed to The Christian Announce on Wednesday, Cumming said that the "reconsideration is editorial only" and the proposed changes "do not alter the substantive meaning of the 2009 social statement
Same-Gender Issues Among Lutherans in Canada
A Utterance from the Council of Presidents/Bishops of Lutheran Church-Canada
Recent years have brought separation and discord among Lutheran Christians around the world as various church bodies have departed from historic Biblical education and practice by approving same-gender relationships, both within their churches’ membership and even in the ranks of the ordained clergy. This disruption will now spread in our country through the decision of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) to authorize its pastors to behavior same-gender marriages, as well as by its finding that sexual orientation is no longer an issue in certifying candidates for the ministry.
Because these decisions will be covered in the media, members of the larger Christian society and the Canadian public in general may mistakenly conclude that these decisions represent the position of all Lutherans in this country. In fact, the ELCIC is the only Lutheran church body in Canada which has approved such a departure from accepted Christian teaching. Further, although the ELCIC formally reports large membership statistics, nearly 40 percent of Canadian Luth
Resources for the LGBTQIA+ Community
This is Christ's church. There is a place for you here.
We are the church that shares a living, daring confidence in God's grace. Liberated by our faith, we embrace you as a whole person – questions, complexities and all.
ELCA social statement on human sexuality
Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust expresses ELCA teaching on human sexuality. A social declaration is a teaching and policy document that assists us in thinking about and discussing social issues in the context of faith and society. This declaration was adopted in 2009 and provides guidance on matters appreciate marriage, family and same-gender relationships.
LGBTQIA+ voices and ministries in Living Lutheran
We are a church that values and encourages diverse voices and lively dialogue.
Find articles authored by LGBTQIA+ church leaders and stories about ministries that affirm people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in Living Lutheran magazine and on LivingLutheran.org.
Evangelical Lutheran Worship Service of Marriage:
Supplemental Resources
This marriage service supplement offers inclus
The Church and Homosexuality
[1] After attending a study organization using the ELCA revise guide Journey Together Faithfully: The Church and Homosexuality at Advent Lutheran in Arlington, TX, I felt as Dennis Bielfeldt (2003) did when he wrote:
“While I believe Journey Together does fairly describe the different voices and positions within the ELCA on this controversial issue, I find it neither particularly helps readers arrive at justifiable views, nor effectively aids the institution of the ELCA in coming to a responsible and defensible position.”
[2] I certainly had a viewpoint on all the topics addressed in Journey, and this contribution is an try to express part of that viewpoint as a defensible position. I acquire assumed that statements by Jesus in the Gospels outweigh rules and assessments found elsewhere in the Old and New Testaments and that those rules and judgments must be evaluated in light of Jesus’ moral principles as applied to 21st century western culture.
[3] Jesus’ moral principles are simple, the application difficult: “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27); “always handle others