Lutheran Gay and Lesbian Pastors Are 'Real People'

MINNEAPOLIS -- Gay and lesbian pastors are "real people waiting to see if the church will provide help and hope. It will take creativity," said the Rev. Paul W. Egertson, Los Angeles, bishop of the Southern California (West) Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He spoke Oct. 10 to 280 people at the "Here I Stand" conference here at Central Lutheran Church.
The event sought to provide an opportunity to learn about the ELCA policy that "practicing homosexual persons are precluded from the ordained ministry of this church." The ELCA has removed two people from its clergy roster for being "practicing homosexuals."
The ELCA expects its unmarried clergy to abstain from sexual activity; and it only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman.
Egertson told participants where the ELCA stands on a continuum of Christian views on homosexuality -- "welcoming repentant homosexuals who vow to live celibate lives as the evidence of repentance and allowing them to serve in all leadership roles so long as they remain celibate."
ELCA bishops have "no wiggle room," Egertson said. Egertson told the audience that bishops are bound by the church's constitution to move toward discipline when a gay or lesbian pastor reveals a relationship, or they would face discipline themselves.
Egertson called for "a moderate position, not extremism." He advocates "providing liturgical blessings for gay/lesbian unions and permitting congregations to choose openly gay ordained and lay ministers who are single and celibate or coupled in a permanent, committed, monogamous and blessed covenant."
Egertson said church leaders are not the opposition. "We have to change minds, not at the churchwide offices but in the pews and pulpits of congregations across the United States." He said, "If there was a groundswell of support, more leaders would step out."
Changes in religious organizations follow rather than lead changes in society, Egertson said. He told participants not to look for a "magic bullet fired by a creative, courageous church leader."
The conference title, "Here I Stand," is a reference to Martin Luther -- the 16th century German reformer for whom the church is named. Lutheran tradition has it that, when Luther stood trial for challenging the Roman Catholic Church, he was asked to retract his teachings. He refused and added, "Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise."
ELCA church leaders took part in a panel discussion during the conference.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the ELCA's Saint Paul (Minn.) Area Synod, said, "I want to plead for your persistent hopefulness. Let's not let the ministry gifts of gay and lesbian people be isolated from the rest of the church and the world."
Hanson pointed to people's fear about losing the authority of scripture, "yet they know we are talking about their children and grandchildren."
The Rev. Susan L. Engh urged, "Address the issue openly, don't worry so much about dividing. We are already divided. We don't know how many gay members and their families have already left our church." Engh is pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Wayzata, Minn., and a member of the ELCA Church Council.
Tina Fahnestock, a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, St. Paul, said she lost a brother to AIDS. "I'm a mom with two kids. How should I raise my children in this church? My mother is still fighting and my brother is a pastor, but I'm ready to go."
The Rev. Peter Strommen, bishop of the ELCA's Northeastern Minnesota Synod, said, "The church is not of one mind, that's why the process takes forever. There is urgency, but people are scared to death, there is enormous anxiety. People hold very deep convictions about what is right for the children of the future."
Karen L. Soli, Virginia, Minn., said, "The church must use its best resources to find a vast array of opportunities to engage in conversation with respect and compassion." She called upon "gay and lesbian faithful Lutherans who are ordained" to tell their stories. Soli is also a member of the ELCA Church Council.
Soli urged, "Give up fear. Trust God. Tell your story to whomever will listen, Stay in the Christian community and be in prayer. Carry out the ministry to which you are called."
Mari Irvin, a participant from San Francisco, said, "This issue is being regarded as something abstract. This is our lives and death to some of us -- emotionally if not physically."
The Rev. Franz J. Schemmel, Eagle Grove Lutheran Church, Eagle Grove, Iowa, said in an interview, "The scripture lesson in our closing worship said Christ is our peace. He made us one and broke down the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing, in his flesh, the law of commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new man."
"This was for me the theological theme of the day. What our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters are asking of the church is something Christ has already done: abolish the law with its commands and ordinances that the two -- heterosexual and homosexual -- can become one," said Schemmel.
"The church still deals with all its pastors, and severely with its gay and lesbian pastors, on the basis of law," said Schemmel. "I was struck anew at this conference by how much this law has killed in our church. We could lay down the law and the sword, and let Christ give life to our church."
Dr. Carolyn J. Riehl, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, presented a study she conducted with 35 gay and lesbian Lutheran pastors in a program called "Pulpit Fiction."
The conference was planned by four groups: a joint committee of the ELCA's Minneapolis Area and Saint Paul Area Synods, The Lutheran Network for Inclusive Vision, Wingspan Ministry based at Reformation Lutheran Church in St. Paul, and Lutherans Concerned/Twin Cities. Lutherans Concerned is an international society of gay, lesbian, bisexual and "non-gay" Christians dedicated to fostering understanding, justice and reconciliation.