Today the bi-ennial churchwide assembly of the ELCA gets underway in Minneapolis. Over 1,000 "voting members" will spend a week deliberating over some important but non-controversial issues like helping relieve Malaria and HIV/AIDS by spending increasingly rare dollars for things governments ought to take responsibility for.
The really "prickly" issue relates to a Study on Human Sexuality that the ELCA has been working on since 1994.
Departing from classical Lutheran ethical categories such as Law and Gospel and the Orders of Creation, the statement focuses on sociological concepts such as "trust" as the guiding image.
This approach reveals the clear bias of the Church toward justifying the full acceptance of gays and lesbians in their roles as clergy.
Strong resistance to this statement has emerged, not only within the ELCA but also in sister churches belonging to the Lutheran World Federation, some of which are considering approaching the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to contemplate forming an international body willing to support the traditional teachings held by Lutherans for centuries.
What that means for the ELCA's future causes many of us traditional Lutheran pastors the jitters. We'll be watching the CWA carefully to see what future is in store for us all.
