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BREAKING: Lutherans Vote To Allow Gay Clergy
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Gay ministers will be allowed to lead parishes, representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) voted today in Minneapolis.
The 559-451 vote marks a historic change for the 4.8 million ELCA members, including 830,000 in Minnesota.
The vote repeals the ELCA’s ban on gay clergy unless they agreed to remain celibate. The new position allows the installation of gay pastors but leaves the decision to call a gay pastor up to individual congregations and synods.
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20 Responses to “BREAKING: Lutherans Vote To Allow Gay Clergy”
Kudos to the Lutherans. Guess we'll have to update this old Onion Headline:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29788
Um, yeah, NSFW, if you're still at work you poor, poor soul.
Wonderful. Instant approval and credit to them.
One can assume that they won't like this idea, but the ELCA should consider changing their name now, since they would no longer be considered a group following Luther's teaching by the standards of all other Lutheran denominations and synods. Thus, ELCA is no longer a Lutheran church body.
May God forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Good on them. Undoubtedly news which we'll hear about on Prairie Home Companion.
I second Shard. This is welcome, wonderful news.
Forget the gay/straight issue. It's just plain wrong for adulterers and fornicators to be practicing ministers.
Good news. Hope more churches move this way.
By “fornicators” I assume you mean people who aren't married? If so, I hope you advocate approval of gay marriage in Minnesota. Of course, the Lutheran Church should decide itself what marriages to conduct and the state's position should have little to do with it.
It's just plain wrong for adulterers and fornicators to be practicing <del>ministers</del>politicians.
Fixed
The ELCA has never been a conservative denomination. This decision is hardly surprising. It does underscore, however, the continued fragmenting of churches on this volatile issue. Within a year's time, we're likely to see a small denomination of 100,000 to 200,000 spin off over this issue. Within that church will be a very healthy contingent of twenty-somethings who (to his point) never get quoted by the media. It's all part of the meme that the younger generation “gets it,” i.e. believes in “marriage” equality for gays,etc. Truth be told, the picture is far more nuanced than that. Enrollment at conservative, Christian colleges and universities continues strong. There's a reason that's far broader than this one issue, but this issue is one of them.
Well besides the obvious conflicts of what the bible preaches, believe it or not I have no problem with people with the gay deviant sex drive doing all sorts of careers and such, as long as they keep their lust and slant under their hats.
Suffice to say that there have been gay ministers and preachers since day one anyway. I hope this doesn't mean they will be sporting a rainbow altar cloth or offering “Big Gay” ice cream cones to the children after Sundayschool.
There are people with gay fetishes, and fetishes of all descriptions throughout society. It's when they advertise their fetish that I have a problem with them. And wanting to be married is a de facto advertisement that they prefer gay deviant sex. I personally think the churches should pass an ordinance of “don't ask don't tell” since what they've done now is essentially blasphemous in condoning sin for the kids to see and follow..
“It's just plain wrong for adulterers and fornicators to be practicing <del>ministers</del>politicians.
”
Fixed
Rudi, I must say, your wit is so quick, had one of those 'coffee spewing moments when I read it. lol
thanks.
dr.e
I don't think that it is a good news………………
Acne Treatment
Good for the Lutherans. But its up to them how to run their religion, just like its up to the Baptist to run theirs. While I approve of the Lutherian view, its really none of my business how they or the Baptist run their faith.
Imagine a land where all the sexually abnormal could live in peace, harmony and acceptance. A land, any land, somewhere else.
Define abnormal.
Leonidas–
gay
Having been a Lutheran all my life and descendant of Lutherans back to the time of Martin Luther, I feel betrayed by the vote. It is significant that the vote was only a 10 percent margin. Unfortunately at such
conventions, the clergy outnumber the laity and it is the touchy feeling clergy that vote for such issues.
The Lutheran Church like many denominations have a shortage of ministers. It just doesn't pay as well and there is little job security when pleasing all the diverse personalities in any congregation is many times necessary to “keep your job.” Therefore the Lutheran Church has not been as “selective” in accepting students in the ministry. Unfortunately, a number of gays have “been ordained” which the
Lutheran churches that called them were unaware at the time of the calling. Much to the congregations that later found themselves in sexual abuse lawsuits. It isn't just the Catholic Church that have had to pay substantial lawsuits. The church and the congregations were blamed although were unaware of any sexual abuse when it was supposedly being practiced.
It is damned if you do and damned if you don't in our society and court system today as far as the Church today. The public acceptance of homosexuality and in the court system makes it difficult for the Church to do otherwise.
Father Time
I too wish that gay folk were fully accepted by our society, we have come a long way but still have far to go. I also support polygamist in the same way, its no one's business but their own. I'm not trying to add polygamist to the issue as a right-wing slippery slope argument, I genuinely feel that government should be 100% removed from the religious based institution of marriage. Let the religions decide who they will and wont marry, and take all federal and state benefits out of marriage. I feel that non married people, whther they be gays, polygamists who have to conceal their relationships legally speaking, and singles are discriminated against by laws that give preferential treatment to traditional marriages (and to gay marriages in some states).