Today, I am grateful for the Lutheran church.
The Lutheran Church Embraces the LGBTQ Community
After twenty-five years of deliberation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council has abolished its anti-gay policies, effective immediately. Following from discussions at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last summer, the ELCA will now allow people in same-sex relationships to serve as rostered leaders. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) human beings are no longer considered abominations but blessed church members with full standing. Same-sex partners and families can now fully participate in the ELCA Pension Plan.
Best of all, the ELCA is reinstating people who were removed from ministry positions because they were truthful and came out of the closet, as well as those who conducted holy unions for non-heterosexual couples. The ELCA has practiced restorative justice. [excerpt]
I had a friend killed in an accident earlier this month. He was an Divinity student, a Lutheran, who was one of the people in my life whose way of interfacing with the world forced me to check a lot of my negative expectations about Christian Americans at the door. He'd taken all of the joy and benevolence and devotion to good works from his religion, and completely bypassed any messages of bigotry, guilt, or shame.
Hans, if you're somewhere paying attention to the news today, I am convinced you're pleased as punch over this. I believe your good and progressive works were a part of it.
After twenty-five years of deliberation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council has abolished its anti-gay policies, effective immediately. Following from discussions at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last summer, the ELCA will now allow people in same-sex relationships to serve as rostered leaders. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) human beings are no longer considered abominations but blessed church members with full standing. Same-sex partners and families can now fully participate in the ELCA Pension Plan.
Best of all, the ELCA is reinstating people who were removed from ministry positions because they were truthful and came out of the closet, as well as those who conducted holy unions for non-heterosexual couples. The ELCA has practiced restorative justice. [excerpt]
I had a friend killed in an accident earlier this month. He was an Divinity student, a Lutheran, who was one of the people in my life whose way of interfacing with the world forced me to check a lot of my negative expectations about Christian Americans at the door. He'd taken all of the joy and benevolence and devotion to good works from his religion, and completely bypassed any messages of bigotry, guilt, or shame.
Hans, if you're somewhere paying attention to the news today, I am convinced you're pleased as punch over this. I believe your good and progressive works were a part of it.