Lutherans say no to changing gay clergy rules

CHICAGO — Efforts to eliminate a celibacy requirement for gay Lutheran clergy failed Aug. 11 at a churchwide assembly, but delegates urged bishops to refrain from disciplining sexually active gay pastors. After five days of debate among delegates from the 5 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, voting members deferred any changes in clergy standards until a special task force on sexuality releases its report prior to the next assembly in 2009. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, who was re-elected Aug. 7 to another six-year term, asked throughout the debate that the more than 1,000 attendees face all votes with prayer rather than emotion. He had previously said he prefers to wait for the social statement before any changes are made to clergy standards.
The assembly also voted Aug. 9 to refer the issue of blessing same-sex relationships to its task force on sexuality.