ELCA National Magazine Refuses Conservative Ad on Homosexuality

(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. ​You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)

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"Living Lutheran" is the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They have run a number of articles highlighting, in glowing terms, homosexual and transgender Lutheran pastors. Living Lutheran has never run an article giving the conservative viewpoint on homosexuality. They do this even though the ELCA's 2009 decision to ordain practicing homosexuals stated that the "bound conscience" of everyone, conservative and liberal, would be respected in the ELCA.
 
Reverend Jeff Winter is on the board of One by One, a ministry which helps people with unwanted same sex attractions lead chaste lives. He asked if he could run an ad in Living Lutheran. Here is the response he received:
 
Thanks for your email. Unfortunately what you're proposing
isn't in harmony with recent ELCA church decisions, so our
editors are declining your offer to advertise with us. I'm
sorry that I can't be of help to you with this.
Thanks,
Mark Brewer, Advertising Director, Living Lutheran
 
I am not sure to which recent decisions the editors of Living Lutheran are referring. To my knowledge there has been no decision to rescind respecting the right of conservatives in the ELCA to have at least some representation in the ELCA's national magazine on this issue.
 
Some have wondered how long the "bound conscience" of conservatives would truly be respected in the ELCA. It appears that, in its national magazine at least, there is no room for the conservative viewpoint on homosexuality at all.
 
Sincerely in Christ,
 
Pastor Tom Brock
pastorsstudy.org