Stances of Faiths on GLBT Issues: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
While the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with approximately 5 million members, has approved repeated resolutions of welcome for gay and lesbian people since 1991, that welcome varies widely from synod to synod and congregation to congregation across the denomination. Following an extensive four-year study of homosexuality, at its churchwide assembly in 2005 the ELCA reiterated this welcome but demonstrated a strong division in the church about what that welcome really means. More than 300 ELCA congregations have clarified their positions by passing simple welcome statements of their own.
While individual synods have made statements or created local policies regarding transgender clergy, the ELCA has, to date, been silent on its transgender members. To date, bisexual persons are virtually ignored by the denomination if in an opposite-sex relationship, but considered gay or lesbian if in a covenanted relationships with a partner of the same gender.
Gay and Lesbian People in the Church
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America officially and unequivocally welcomes gays and lesbians and their families. In an open letter in 1996, the Lutheran bishops reaffirmed this message and condemned homophobia and anti-gay discrimination:
"To gay and lesbian members, we write to you in hope and out of faith. We all live with the pain of a church that experiences sharp disagreements on some issues. Yet we walk beside you and we value your gifts and commitment to the Church. … We repudiate all words and acts of hatred toward gay and lesbian persons in our congregations and in our communities, and extend a caring welcome for gay and lesbian persons and their families. We call upon all our pastors, as they exercise pastoral care, to be sensitive to the gifts and needs of gay and lesbian members."
In January 2005, following a study requested by the 2001 national Churchwide Assembly, the ELCA released a document, entitled, "Report and Recommendations from the Task Force for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Studies on Sexuality." The report emphasized that the denomination continues to welcome gay and lesbian members and made recommendations on the church’s practices regarding same-sex unions and gay and lesbian members of the clergy. It did not suggest changing any of the ELCA's current policies, but did propose that church officials be allowed the freedom to decline enforcement of policies against clergy in same-sex relationships. Churches and regional synods were invited to comment on the task force report.
A coalition of Lutheran advocacy and ministry groups supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights protested the report. According to Lutherans Concerned Executive Director Emily Eastwood, the recommendations "perpetuate a system of selective discrimination of gays and lesbians in the Lutheran church."
Is Sex Sinful?
Is sex sinful? Since the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed following the merger of three different Lutheran denominations in 1988, it has not made any official statements on whether it considers gay sex sinful. The 2005 task force report also declined to issue a recommendation on the subject, stating::
"Many people have asked for a simple answer to the question: Does the Bible say that sexual activity between two people of the same sex is always a sin? … Among other responses that could be mentioned, some say the teaching of the Bible is clear and condemns such activities as sinful, while some say that the verses in the Bible usually cited do not apply to a love relationship between two consenting adults in a committed relationship. In this matter the ELCA needs to continue in prayerful study of Scripture with one another."
Same-Sex Unions
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America does not have decisive rules on the recognition of relationships between people of the same sex. Individual synods and congregations are free to establish their own policies about blessing same-sex unions, and some churches and ministers do choose to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples.
In 1993, the Conference of Bishops issued a statement against creating an official ceremony to bless same-sex unions, even as it reaffirmed the rights of pastors to minister to gays and lesbians. It stated:
"We … recognize that there is basis neither in Scripture nor tradition for the establishment of an official ceremony by this church for the blessing of a homosexual relationship. We, therefore, do not approve such a ceremony as an official action of this church's ministry. Nevertheless, we express trust in and will continue dialogue with those pastors and congregations who are in ministry with gay and lesbian persons, and affirm their desire to explore the best ways to provide pastoral care for all to whom they minister."
Nonetheless, in 2000, the Greater Milwaukee Synod and Southeast Michigan Synod began blessing same-sex unions, and several other synods have petitioned the denomination’s national Churchwide Assembly to develop a specific process for religious same-sex commitment ceremonies. In fact, services of blessing for same-sex couples have been performed across the ELCA since its inception. Whether or not such services are offered depends largely on the specific congregation and the synod.
The 2005 task force report recommended that the denomination continue to follow the 1993 statement from the Conference of Bishops and allow individual pastors and congregations to choose whether they support church members in same-sex relationships. It also noted, however, that same-sex unions were not equivalent to marriage:
"We recognize that in this church the desire to provide the best pastoral care may motivate some pastors and congregations to surround same-sex couples in committed, long-term relationships with prayerful support. Surrounding people or households with prayerful support does not necessarily mean public approval of homosexual sexual intimacy. … Such an exercise of pastoral care should be understood as a matter quite distinct from and in no way equivalent to marriage. Indeed, this church holds that ‘Marriage is a lifelong covenant of faithfulness between a man and a woman.’ … The mandate of the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly did not envision the present secular debate over gay marriage and the task force mandate does not involve addressing those public concerns. The Lutheran tradition distinguishes between marriage as a civil matter, bound to the regulations and approval of society, and the blessing of such a union. Such a blessing does not remove sin from marriage, but prayerfully grounds marriage in God’s promise of life and forgiveness."
The vote of the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly reaffirmed the 1993 statement and its ambiguities while outright rejecting a ban on blessings as well as an explicit permission for such services. The result of this action is continued local interpretation of just what the 1993 statement actually says. The statement is considered advice to congregations and does not rise to the level of policy in the church.
Openly Gay Clergy
Gays and lesbians are officially permitted to serve as members of the Lutheran clergy, but only if they remain celibate. Ordained ministers who enter into same-sex relationships may be removed from the ELCA clergy rosters. This ban has been contested several times by advocates of LGB equality, but has not yet been overturned. Some evangelical Lutheran leaders have suggested that the debate over LGB clergy may result in a major schism within the denomination.
The official guidelines for ELCA clergy, which were approved in 1990, instruct gay and lesbian ministers to remain celibate. "Vision and Expectations: Ordained Ministers in the ELCA" states:
"Single ordained ministers are expected to live a chaste life. … Ordained ministers who are homosexual in their self-understanding are expected to abstain from homosexual sexual relationships."
Another document, "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline," explicitly banned non-celibate gays and lesbians from the clergy in 1989. It stated:
"The biblical understanding which this church affirms is that the normative setting for sexual intercourse is marriage. In keeping with this understanding, chastity before marriage and fidelity within marriage are the norm. … Practicing homosexual persons are precluded from the ordained ministry of this church."
Some clergy members and churches have defied the ban, however. In 2004, at least three ELCA congregations — in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and San Bernardino, Calif. — installed openly gay and lesbian pastors in covenanted same-sex relationships.
The 2005 task force report recommended that pastors in committed same-sex relationships need not be automatically removed from the clergy rosters::
"The Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality recommends that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continue under the standards regarding sexual conduct for rostered leaders as set forth in ‘Vision and Expectations’ and ‘Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline,’ but that, as a pastoral response to the deep divisions among us, this church may choose to refrain from disciplining those who in good conscience, and for the sake of outreach, ministry and the commitment to continuing dialogue, call or approve partnered gay or lesbian candidates whom they believe to be otherwise in compliance with ‘Vision and Expectations’ and to refrain from disciplining those rostered people so approved and called."
In an effort to help the church create a structure for this proposed new policy, in April 2005, the Church Council of the ELCA passed a resolution suggesting that specific procedures be followed before gays and lesbians in same-sex relationships be allowed to serve as ministers. It called for a "reasonable assumption or confirmation" that an ELCA congregation had invited the person to serve and for the person to show "evidence of intent to live in a lifelong, committed and faithful same-sex relationship." The suggested resolution created an exception process which would have required multiple layers of additional synodical and denominational approval for an otherwise qualified candidate for ministry in a same-sex relationship.
The council forwarded the resolution to the Churchwide Assembly. Despite protests from LGBT rights advocates, the assembly voted 503 to 490 to reject the resolution at the assembly’s meeting in August 2005. While defeating the resolution on exceptions, the assembly also defeated a motion upholding the current policy of exclusion and enforcement thereof. The result of the series of votes regarding ordination of gays and lesbians is that the policy of exclusion remains, but enforcement of that policy may be in question.
Between 2005 and 2009 the ELCA will continue the conversation about sexuality. While the denomination is still deeply divided on how to relate to people in same-sex relationships, there remains much ambiguity regarding congregational and synodical practices related to couples and clergy.
Resources for GLBT Lutherans
- Lutherans Concerned is a national education and advocacy group with chapters nationwide working on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues within the church. It has a list of more than 300 gay- and lesbian-welcoming Lutheran congregations.
- Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries gives financial, legal and pastoral support to ministers who have been victims of discrimination based on sexual orientation
- Extraordinary Candidacy Project works with gay and lesbian seminary students to advance the inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the Lutheran clergy.
- Goodsoil.org is a coalition that aims to change official ELCA policies to become more inclusive of GLBT people.
Headquarters Location
If you would like to communicate with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, here is their mailing address:
Evangelical Lutheran Church
8765 W. Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631
