(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
As in the past, the current February 2017 issue of "Living Lutheran" of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continues to attempt to normalize homosexual behavior and transgenderism in the Church. One article "I'm a Lutheran" highlights a Lutheran choir director who talks about his "husband". Another article is entitled "Equal participants in the body of Christ: LGBTQ members find home in ELCA congregations". It talks about a homosexual man with a "husband", how they encountered homophobia, and how they found acceptance in an ELCA congregation. The article also highlights the ELCA's first officially ordained transgender pastor. She is a woman, who has "transitioned" and whom the article refers to as "he".
Back in 2009 when the ELCA decided to ordain practicing homosexuals, it made no such decision to ordain transsexual pastors. But that has not stopped the ELCA leadership from doing so. Also, the 2009 decision acknowledged that there is a difference of opinion among ELCA Lutherans, some believe homosexual behavior is sinful, and some do not. Both views are to be allowed in the ELCA. But the view that homosexual behavior is sinful, to my knowledge, has never received print in "Living Lutheran". The conservatives who are left in the ELCA--which are fewer and fewer--need to request a balance. How about articles sharing how conservative congregations deal with loving people with same-sex attraction while still maintaining the Bible's teaching homosexual behavior is wrong?
And the ELCA continues to decline. The current issue also talks about the state of ELCA's seminaries, which are facing declining enrollment, financial problems, layoffs and the need to merge to stay alive. The seminaries' problems have become more acute since the ELCA's 2009 homosexual decision. More and more people are leaving the ELCA, with their money.
Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Tom Brock
As in the past, the current February 2017 issue of "Living Lutheran" of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continues to attempt to normalize homosexual behavior and transgenderism in the Church. One article "I'm a Lutheran" highlights a Lutheran choir director who talks about his "husband". Another article is entitled "Equal participants in the body of Christ: LGBTQ members find home in ELCA congregations". It talks about a homosexual man with a "husband", how they encountered homophobia, and how they found acceptance in an ELCA congregation. The article also highlights the ELCA's first officially ordained transgender pastor. She is a woman, who has "transitioned" and whom the article refers to as "he".
Back in 2009 when the ELCA decided to ordain practicing homosexuals, it made no such decision to ordain transsexual pastors. But that has not stopped the ELCA leadership from doing so. Also, the 2009 decision acknowledged that there is a difference of opinion among ELCA Lutherans, some believe homosexual behavior is sinful, and some do not. Both views are to be allowed in the ELCA. But the view that homosexual behavior is sinful, to my knowledge, has never received print in "Living Lutheran". The conservatives who are left in the ELCA--which are fewer and fewer--need to request a balance. How about articles sharing how conservative congregations deal with loving people with same-sex attraction while still maintaining the Bible's teaching homosexual behavior is wrong?
And the ELCA continues to decline. The current issue also talks about the state of ELCA's seminaries, which are facing declining enrollment, financial problems, layoffs and the need to merge to stay alive. The seminaries' problems have become more acute since the ELCA's 2009 homosexual decision. More and more people are leaving the ELCA, with their money.
Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Tom Brock
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