ELCA 2013 Synod Resolutions Obsessed with Homosexuality and Maligning the Jews

The ELCA magazine The Lutheran recently reported on the happenings at this spring's ELCA Synod assemblies. It is no surprise that the synods of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who continue to become more liberal and less Biblical, are fixated on promoting homosexuality and denigrating Israel. The Lutheran reported on the 26 synod assemblies that took place in May 2013, highlighting some resolutions brought before those assemblies; it was not a comprehensive list. Of the resolutions highlighted, 22 were focused on and supportive of homosexuality and related issues and 11 dealt with Israel, promoting positions held by anti-Israel supporters. (see here)

Here are some of the anti-Israel resolutions mentioned in The Lutheran:

• “Affirmed support for members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; asked its congregations to study the issues, work for justice, and call on their elected leaders to hold hearings on whether Israel's use of U.S. financial aid violates the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act and Arms Export Control Act.”

• “Affirmed the Peace Not Walls campaign; memorialized the Churchwide Assembly to commit to socially responsible economic practices by encouraging members to invest in Palestinian economic endeavors and avoid products and services from companies that benefit from or support Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.”

• “Sought accompaniment, awareness-raising and advocacy for people of the Holy Land, and socially responsible economic practices that pertain to the Israeli-Palestine conflict.”

• “Recommended study of the Kairos Palestine document and advocacy for a just and peaceful solution in the Holy Land.”

Here are some of the pro-homosexuality resolutions:

• “Asked the Churchwide Assembly to call for legislation prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."

• "Invited conversations regarding ways the church can advocate for equal protections for same-gender couples and their families."

• "Backed the Uniting American Families Act, which would give binational same-sex couples the same immigration rights afforded to heterosexual couples."

• "Asked the Churchwide Assembly to urge all branches of government to recognize the freedom to marry for all people; sought further conversations on this topic.”

• “Commended the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America for changing policy that excluded gay youth from participation; encouraged it to re-examine policy banning homosexual people in leadership roles.”

Also, in a recent news release by the ELCA addressing the upcoming 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburgh, PA, they summarized the actions that the voting members at the assembly will consider this year saying,

“Proposals (known as memorials) from the ELCA’s 65 synods include topics such as gender identity discrimination, the Uniting American Families Act, community violence, ministering to same-gender couples and their families, immigration reform, hydraulic fracturing, and the Middle East.” (read here)