Letters

Lutheran, The, Mar 2005

Sexuality report released Jan. 13

Unhappiness exists all along the continuum

Nothing in the sexuality task force report (February, page 48) justified why baptized and confirmed ELCA members should continue to be discriminated against because they're in committed same-sex relationships. Even if one were to decide that being in a loving, committed same-sex relationship is a sin (and I don't concede that point), not blessing relationships or ordaining individuals because they are sinners would bring an immediate cessation to all marriages and all ordinations. No one in a heterosexual marriage is without sin. No pastor, married or celibate, gay or straight, is without sin. The task force should have talked about what establishing a blessing of loving, committed same-sex relationships could do for the individuals, for the community at large and for the ELCA. It should have talked about the contribution gay and lesbian people (both celibate and in loving, committed relationships) can bring (and already do) to the ELCA and the community at large-and why accepting such people would be good for the ELCA. Or it should have tried to explain why not. But it did neither.

Raymond Voss

Edina, Minn.

The Sunday after the report was made public, our congregation sang We Are All One in Mission as its closing hymn. I'm struggling to understand, as the mother of a gay son, just how my church can sing, "We are all one in call, our varied gifts united, by Christ the Lord of all." If our gay brothers and sisters, baptized children of God, feel called by God to serve the church, our answer is to "refrain from disciplining" them. What kind of welcome is this?

Nancy C. Polancich

Arlington Heights, Ill.

I'm an ELCA pastor, a diplomate of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and I practice psychotherapy as a full-time ministry. The church overlooks a fundamental truth about humans: Sexual orientation is a major component in identity, in the sense of self. Church rules focus on behavior, not identity. So the church sends a mixed message when it says it welcomes people regardless of sexual orientation-and then says they cannot be ordained if they act upon their fundamental sense of self and engage in intimacy. Same-sex attracted people have the same right to say, "God made me this way" as do opposite-sex at-traded people. I see the church taking the position of cowardice in anything short of the same full acceptance of these sinners as of all other sinners. One cannot repent of identity (except in the broadest terms as we do when we confess that we are all sinners).

Paul R. Stone

Lake Forest Park, Wash.

The reaction of some of our key church leaders seems to suggest more concern with "wiggle room" toward same-sex marriage and ordination... rather than the authority of Scripture. Do not our homosexual friends also need to experience redemption and restoration in Christ? What would be wrong with our leaders making wise use of its vast resources in making available a ministry such as EXODUS or one comparable to it and presenting this possibility to the Churchwide Assembly?

BenRamse

Mclntosh, Minn.

First I thought the task force had punted. But on second look, I see it proposed a troubling concession by opening Pandora's box: suggesting that for pastoral reasons the longstanding guidelines could be waived so a congregation, pastor, bishop and synod could do what seemed right in their eyes. Division could be fostered because of this situational ethics.

Jacque Schweiss

Shoreline, Wash.

We must talk about human sexuality and its implications ... but it doesn 't even make the top 20 list of items we really need to discuss to be gospelproclaiming people who follow Jesus. We could make a real difference in the world if we dedicated energy and expense to things such as evangelism, racial diversity, new church starts, world hunger and AIDS. We need to sort out our priorities and focus on the gospel.

James Jerpseth

San Diego, Calif.

Draw the line

It's been years since you said anything nice about Martin Luther. The comments about the 95 Theses being written in the bathroom (January, page 9) were totally unnecessary. People are forgetting how quickly he translated the New Testament into German. The man apparently sat at a table to do his writing.

Judith M. Strahle

Marion, Ohio

Two sides of a coin

Be careful what you are defending in your editorials (January, page 66). I take issue with some statements regarding Jesus' love finding expression in folds other than Christian and committed same-sex relationships. Aren't you making it difficult to defend and support evangelism, missionaries and Christian education, not to mention our need for salvation?

Raye Diehl

Manns Choice, Pa.

If I were examining candidates for ministry, I'd have one question: Is there any class of person that cannot be assured of God's love? Some candidates would have elaborate answers and scriptural references. Thank God for your one-word, simple answer to my question: "No." God's all-surpassing love knows no boundaries. Keep those editorials coming.