An ELCA church in Minneapolis has recently installed their new pastor. That doesn’t sound like anything out of the ordinary. Churches install pastors all the time. However, the new pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church is not your ordinary pastor; he is a gay pastor. Present at his installation was his male partner of the last 5 1/2 years.
The ELCA has formed a task force to discuss whether or not homosexual clergy who are in committed, monogomous relationships, should be allowed to remain rostered clergy. A task force has recommended a policy that would let congregations decide whether to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as their clergy. The resolution has been criticized from both directions, with liberals saying it doesn’t go far enough and conservatives saying it conflicts with Scripture. This topic will be brought forward for major discussion at the ELCA’s next convention this August in Minneapolis.
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