Another ELCA Bishop Calling for Gay Marriage

For the second time in the last two weeks an ELCA bishop is taking a public stand, advocating for homosexual marriage in his state. The Rev. E. Roy Riley Jr., bishop of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America co-authored a column that was published by NJ.com, a New Jersey online newspaper.

In the column the ELCA bishop and two other faith leaders say, “(a)s representatives of faith traditions that struggled for decades with this issue, we know that attitudes about homosexuality do not change easily. Still, it pains us that so many opponents of marriage equality invoke a handful of scriptural texts — open to a variety of interpretations — to deny their fellow citizens equal treatment under civil law.”

The authors then list reasons why, they believe, the Biblical verses warning against homosexual relations should not be followed.

Then they state, “(t)hanks to the wisdom of the First Amendment, differing theological notions about the nature of marriage will continue to flourish across our diverse religious landscape. But a state has neither the right nor the competence to promote one of those theological understandings in opposition to others — particularly when doing so deprives some citizens of the rights enjoyed by others. . .It is our prayer that the state’s legislators will find the wisdom to act with . . . impartiality and justice.” (see here)

This is your ELCA leadership.  Denying the clear reading and teaching of scripture (God’s word).  Encouraging people to immerse themselves in sin.  Trying to persuade state legislators and the public to support what they want, gay marriage.

(blog from 2-2-2012 reporting on ELCA Bishop, Chris Boerger, of the Northwest Washington Synod public statement in support of homosexual marriage)