Marriage
This week is the ELCA's churchwide assembly in Orlando, FL. Among the issues on the agenda are the consideration of whether or not to ordain individuals practicing sexual intimacy in publicly-committed same-sex relationships, and whether to bless such relationships as "churchified" unions.
I wonder... if such blessings and ordinations become part of our practices (and I dearly hope they do), could we then become a spearhead to reform the laws of our nation? What if ELCA members in publicly-committed relationships, both same-sex and opposite-sex, boycotted the state institution of marriage until every citizen is granted the same rights in their unions? Would the ELCA bless heterosexual unions that do not have a marriage certificate from a state? What message would this send? Could we make ourselves heard? What effect would such a thing have on our full communion partnerships and hopes for greater inter-denominational and interfaith dialogues?
I wonder... if such blessings and ordinations become part of our practices (and I dearly hope they do), could we then become a spearhead to reform the laws of our nation? What if ELCA members in publicly-committed relationships, both same-sex and opposite-sex, boycotted the state institution of marriage until every citizen is granted the same rights in their unions? Would the ELCA bless heterosexual unions that do not have a marriage certificate from a state? What message would this send? Could we make ourselves heard? What effect would such a thing have on our full communion partnerships and hopes for greater inter-denominational and interfaith dialogues?