ELCA Seminary Academic Dean Admits the ELCA Will Perform Same Sex Marriages

I think we all know a goal of the ELCA leadership was to allow ELCA pastors to marry same sex couples in ELCA churches.  It is the logical progression of the August 2009 church-wide decisions.  But I for one have not heard the ELCA leadership come out and say it.  The leadership knows admitting they will allow the marrying of same gender couples is not going to win them any points with the conservative, bible believing ELCA membership.  So the ELCA leadership does their best not to bring it up.  They enjoy having ELCA members, who believe scripture, finance their attack on God word.  

So I was surprised when I heard Dr. Craig L. Nessan, academic dean and professor of contextual theology at Wartburg Theological Seminary, say this during a presentation at an ELCA church, ". . . Resolution 1 was adopted by a vote of 619 to 402. Resolve that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountably life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships."  What does this mean?  This resolution means that congregations which choose to do so, can recognize same gender relationships and marital unions, depending on what state one lives in.  This does not force congregations to recognize same gender relationships it simple allows other congregations who wish this to be part of their ministry to be able to do so with the support of the wider church."
 
"So in effect, I think this resolution allows congregations autonomy to decide whether or not it will allow and recognize the blessing of same gendered partnerships and because we live in Iowa, it also allows congregations the decision about whether or not they are willing to solemnize marriages between same gendered persons."  (listen here -
 1/4 of the way through the audio)

This confirms what we all knew.  There is no reason to doubt that the ELCA will be performing gay marriages.  

This is what God says in the Bible.
Leviticus 18:22 -  Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

Leviticus 20:13 -  If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.

Romans 1:26-27 -  Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 -  Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Jesus says to turn from sin (John 8:11), but the ELCA is encouraging people to continue sinning AND make a commitment to live in sin, "as long as they both shall live."  Members of the ELCA need to ask if they are going to stay in a denomination that encourages sinful behavior and rejects God's clear direction in scripture.