ELCA Getting Noticed

I've been keeping up with the ELCA Churchwide Assembly via the live feed at ELCA.org, twitter (#CWA09), and over at ALPB, where Richard Johnson is doing his usual excellent job. I thought rather than just post his stuff here, I'd post things I found outside the usual channels. Here is an article from the Get Religion blog:

Let's Get Ready to Rumble

Posted by Mollie

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is having it’s biennial convention this week and we’re seeing coverage about the most politically exciting topic that will be debated — homosexuality.

There have already been a couple of good stories. It may seem like such a minor thing but I’m impressed that Patrick Condon of the Associated Press had an anecdotal lede with someone opposed to changing the church’s teaching on whether clergy who are in same-sex relationships should be on the church roster. Here it is:

FRIDLEY, Minn. — The Rev. Dave Glesne stood before the members of Redeemer Lutheran Church a few weeks ago and told them there might be some painful decisions in the near future.

Glesne is against letting people in same-sex relationships serve as pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and he says his congregation is behind him. They’re worried this suburban Minneapolis church could find itself on the losing side as leaders of the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination vote on whether to take that step at their biennial national convention, which starts Monday in Minneapolis.

“Of course the question was asked: What will we do, Pastor Dave, if this goes?” Glesne said. “The conversation we had left me no doubt that we will definitely have a discussion about leaving the ELCA.”

I’m just so used to seeing the heartbreaking stories from the other perspective and only from the other perspective that it’s a refreshing change and reminds us that there will be heartbreak and loss no matter who wins the theological debate. In fact, that’s a major theme of the story and includes some great quotes from people on opposing sides.

Click on the title to read the entire article.

---Katie