The scrutiny of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this week during its biennial Churchwide Assembly in Orlando won't be due to looming votes on church reorganization and a new worship book.
The 4.9-million-member church will become the latest mainline Protestant denomination to tackle the issues of same-sex blessings and the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy when the assembly opens today for a week-long gathering. . .
The ELCA is the fourth mainline Protestant denomination to tackle these issues since 2003. The Episcopal Church USA gave tacit approval to same-sex blessings and confirmed a noncelibate gay bishop. Both the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted to prohibit same-sex blessings and the ordination of practicing homosexuals. In July, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ voted to support same-sex marriages, but its decisions are not binding on its congregations.
In the ELCA, which was formed in 1988 by the merger of three different Lutheran groups, procedures adopted at the Churchwide Assembly are binding for the entire church. The ELCA is the country's fifth-largest denomination; the Catholic Church is the largest.
Link.
As a favor to our Missouri Synod Lutheran family members: Also from the article:
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is a separate denomination.
