Lutheran convention votes to allow gay ministers, blessing of same-sex marriages
SASKATOON - Delegates attending the biennial convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada have voted to allow gays and lesbians to become ministers.
The delegates voted 205 to 114 in favour of a motion that states sexual orientation is not in itself a factor that disqualifies a candidate for the church's ministry.
The motion rescinds ones from past conventions which disqualified candidates from ordination if they were self-declared, practising homosexuals.
The delegates also voted 192 to 132 to allow ministers to conduct or bless same-sex marriages, according to their consciences and the laws of their provinces.
Delegates sang "Lord Listen to Your Children Pray" while ballots for the same-sex marriage motion were being cast.
Close to 500 Lutherans and guests have been meeting in Saskatoon since Thursday for the convention.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination with 152,500 baptized members in 607 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to permit non-celibate gays and lesbians to become clergy in the summer of 2009.
SOURCE
A good sampling of the gross backlash can be seen at the Lutheran Church-Canada: Many Lutherans still support traditional marriage.
I think this is, of course, a very good thing. Sadly, my parents' congregation is considering splitting from ELCIC - apparently the homophobes think that the results of the synod prove that ELCIC is "getting further and further away from adherence and appreciation for scripture." Which I LOL at, since it's the most Christ-like thing I've seen in the church in a long time.