Tag Archives: homosexual

ELCA bishop submits video for ‘It Gets Better’ video essay, telling gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender young people ‘You are a beloved child of God’

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Mark Hanson

Mark Hanson, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has submitted a video for the “It Gets Better” video essay on YouTube.com, an effort designed to support and encourage gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young people.

“I’ve listened with pain and shock to reports of young people taking their lives because they’ve been bullied and tormented for being different, for being gay or perceived to be gay, for being the people God created them to be,” Hanson said. “I can only imagine what it’s like to be bullied for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.”

The video is below. If it does not function properly, you can view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJOhjLXJmaY

 Read a transcript of Hanson’s video here. Read the ELCA press release here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJOhjLXJmaY[\embed]

Editor of ELCA magazine “The Lutheran” says magazine won’t give NALC “any special coverage just because of its heritage. This group, like Elvis, has left the building”

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Daniel J. Lehmann

In the current issue of “The Lutheran,” an ELCA publication, its editor Daniel Lehmann writes:

“Page 8 of this issue contains a 203-word article (“Another Lutheran body formed“) on the founding of another Lutheran denomination. No more, no less.

The North American Lutheran Church came about in response to the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly decisions on sexuality…

“What we have here is a classic case of schism — a formal division or separation in the Christian church …

“So now the NALC becomes, in the eyes of this magazine, one more Lutheran denomination. Just as the staff follows major events in the life of the LCMS, the same will be true with the NALC. The Lutheran won’t give it any special coverage just because of its heritage. This group, like Elvis, has left the building.”

Read the full editorial: http://www.thelutheran.com/article/article.cfm?article_id=9348

Star-Tribune: Three lesbian pastors from Twin Cities welcomed as ELCA clergy

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“Three pastors from the Twin Cities who are lesbians in committed relationships were embraced Saturday as Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors. The Reverends Anita Hill, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart were inducted during a service presided over by St. Paul Bishop Peter Rogness at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,” the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

In 2009, the ELCA voted at its biannual Churchwide Assembly to allow individuals in committed same-gender relationships to serve in the clergy. Hundreds of congregations in the ELCA have explored the possibility of exiting the denominations in the wake of the assembly. The ELCA has at more than 10,0o0 congregations.

Read the full story: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/103204234.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DUs

Read the ELCA press release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4638

Schwarzenegger: Let same-sex weddings resume now

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"California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who twice vetoed legislation that would have legalized same-sex marriage, has surprised gay rights supporters by urging a federal judge to allow gay couples to resume marrying in the state without further delay," the Associated Press reports.

In his 136-page decision overturning California’s Proposition 8 Wednesday, Walker said he was ordering the state to cease enforcing the 22-month-old ban. But he agreed to suspend the order until he could review the briefs submitted Friday.

Read the full story: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/287194/group/homepage/

Forum article on possible North Dakota impact of Proposition 8 federal court ruling

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It was a decision made in a courtroom some 1,800 miles away. It only applies to the state of California; the federal judge who made it went on to stay it in anticipation of an appeal, which came promptly.

Yet the move Wednesday to overturn a voter-backed California ban on same-sex marriage reverberated in North Dakota, where a 2004 constitutional amendment banning gay marriage remains unchallenged.

Read the full story: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/287020/

Talk about it: topics.areavoices.com/2010/08/05/californias-prop-8-repeal-could-affect-north-dakota/

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"With no debate, delegates to the Missouri Synod convention … adopted two resolutions in response to actions taken by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its August 2009 Churchwide Assembly," According to Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s "Reporter" website.

The action came at the LCMS assembly currently underway in Houston, Texas.

Part of that action was to commend a statement by the International Lutheran council that includes the following: "Rooted in the Bible’s witness and in keeping with Christian teaching through 2,000 years, we continue to believe that the practice of homosexuality—in any and all situations—violates the will of the Creator God and must be recognized as sin. At the same time."

It further states that "we declare our resolve to approach those with homosexual inclinations with the deepest possible Christian love and pastoral concern, in whatever situation they may be living.”

Presbyterian general assembly shelves same-sex marriage issue, votes in favor of gay clergy change

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According to an Associated Press report: "Presbyterian leaders voted Thursday to allow noncelibate gays in committed relationships to serve as clergy," but also voted later that day to shelve a proposed redifinition of marriage that would have included same-sex couples.

A majority of the church’s regional presbyteries would have to approve the change in clergy policy for it to go into effect.

Read the story: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/284318/

Talk about it: topics.areavoices.com/2010/07/08/presbyterians-vote-approve-gay-clergy-shelve-same-sex-marriage-issue/

Local Presbyterian pastors discuss general assembly vote in favor of allowing those in same-gender relationships to serve in clergy

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The Rev. Steve Shive, pastor of First Presbyterian in Fargo, said he doesn’t believe the faithful in North Dakota and Minnesota are ready for the votes cast Thursday by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) in favor of removing language prohibiting individuals in same-gender relationships from serving in the clergy.

To take effect, the assembly’s decision would have to be approved by a majority of the 173 presbyteries.

Read the full story: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/284316/

Read the Associated Press story on the assembly’s decision: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/284318/

Talk about it: topics.areavoices.com/2010/07/08/presbyterians-vote-approve-gay-clergy-shelve-same-sex-marriage-issue/

Wisconsin Lutheran Evangelical Synod magazine publishes "second article in a three-part series on leaving the gay lifestyle"

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"Forward in Christ," a publication o fthe Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is in the midst of a three-part series on homosexuality. Read the June 2010 article here: www.wels.net/news-events/forward-in-christ/june-2010/coming-out-god

Traditionalist Lutheran group says they're done fighting for change in the ELCA

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A group well-known for its fight to reform the Evangelical Lutheran Church says it will do so no longer.

The WordAlone Network made the shift official and changed its name to WordAlone Ministries at its April 18 and 19 convention in Golden Valley, Minn., WordAlone Vice President Tom Walker confirmed today.

Walker said the group has been moving in that direction since the August Churchwide Assembly, when the ELCA voted to allow individuals in same-gender relationships to serve in the clergy and passed a controversial social statement on human sexuality.

The group will work to support the emerging confessional movement, which includes traditionalist Lutheran organizations like Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, LutheranCORE and the currently-forming North American Lutheran Church, Walker said.

A WordAlone press releases states, "The convention affirmed that WordAlone will continue to serve congregations, groups and individuals committed to proclaiming the Word of God and to remaining faithful to the Bible, although it ended its attempts to reform the ELCA after (the ELCA’s) unbiblical decisions on marriage and family and on new standards for ministers at the churchwide assembly last August."

The release also states that the organization has established “the Chaplain Corps and the Evangelical Mission Teams. These programs provide assistance and accurate information to those wanting to leave either their congregations or denomination.”

Life Together Churches, which is to be launched in June in partnership with Lutheran Evangelistic Movement, “will support house churches, cell churches and, via the Internet, a virtual parish.”