“We’ve arrived at a very dangerous place, because what we’re considering doing is stepping away from holy Scripture”‚.”‚.”‚.”‚ and when we do that, we’re lost,” said the Rev. Mark Knappe, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran church in Menomonee Falls and one of 19 people dispatched from the Greater Milwaukee Synod to vote on the national resolutions this week.
His voice is in the minority in a synod that leans toward full inclusion of gay and lesbian members and passed its own resolution in May recommending the national ELCA adopt the measure allowing congregations to recognize monogamous same-sex unions and accept clergy who have entered into them.
“There’s room in our church for diversity of opinions and even diversity of interpretations of Scripture,” said Greater Milwaukee Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers, also a voting member at the assembly.
“I think we realize that gay and lesbian persons do not have a choice in terms of their sexual orientation, and I would like to see them be given equal rights in society and within the church.”
“I think we realize that gay and lesbian persons do not have a choice in terms of their sexual orientation, and I would like to see them be given equal rights in society and within the church.”
They obviously haven’t seen the transgender film here: http://www.standfirminfaith.com/?/sf/page/24532
[blockquote]In 1997 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted A Formula of Agreement which formally declared full communion with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ based on what is referred to as “a fundamental doctrinal consensus” (A Formula of Agreement, p. 19).[/blockquote]
http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2144
The LCMS could see this coming and developed it’s own Hymnal. Hang out with who you want to become!
“I think we realize that gay and lesbian persons do not have a choice in terms of their sexual orientation, and I would like to see them be given equal rights in society and within the church.”
Well, I did not have a choice in my alcoholism. I didn’t grow up and think, Boy, I want to be a drunk when I grow up! Thankfully, by the grace of God I have not had a drink of alcohol in over 20 years.
We may not have a choice in what we are afflicted with, but we certainly have the choice to follow Scripture and not partake in those activities which it prohibits. You can bet that if I had not gotten sober and even advocated a drunken lifestyle and then tried to apply for the ordination process that I wouldn’t be able to become a priest, let alone be allowed to be a bishop. Why do the same-sex-attraction folks get a pass on this?