Some Good News

After exposing an anti-Israeli resolution being voted on at Metropolitan Chicago Synod Assembly, (read here) I am happy to tell you that the good people in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod are standing up to the ELCA, while they boldly stand for truth and God's Word.

Below are a number of the resolutions that will be voted on.

Item One: Conference [One] Teaching Statement

We, the members of Conference One of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA teach and believe that marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activities belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage.

Item Two: Memorial on the Teaching of Marriage

BE IT RESOLVED that this synod teach and [confess] that marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage.

Item Three: Memorial to the Synod Assembly

WHEREAS, the decisions of the 2009 CWA in regard to the implemented resolutions of rostered leaders in Publically Accountable Life-long Monogamous Same-sex relationship have wounded the collegial relationships within our synod, therefore be it,

RESOLVED, that the 2010 Assembly of the Southwestern PA synod of the ELCA censure (to critize severely, to blame, as from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) the decisions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly in adopting the Social statement, ”Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” and the four resolutions on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23-24-26 & 27) as violations of the Confession of Faith, Chapter 2, of the ELCA Constitution, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the ELCA Church Council be advised of this resolution.

Item Four: Memorial to rescind the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly

WHEREAS the members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA regard the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly on Ministry Policies and the actions of the Church Council to implement them to be violations of the ELCA’s Constitution (Confession of Faith, chapter two) be it

RESOLVED, that the 2010 Assembly of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA memorialize the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to rescind the four resolutions on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23-24-26 & 27) and their implementation.

Item Five: Memorial to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly—Stand with Africa

WHEREAS the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania in its April 29, 2010 press release declared:

“This church does not accept reasons offered by advocates of same-sex marriage and its legitimacy unless it is based on the Word of God and Biblical teaching; therefore, we reject inappropriate and false interpretations of scripture produced to justify the marriage of people of the same gender.

“This church encourages and supports all those around the world who oppose churches that have taken the decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

The statement goes on to say:

“Those supporting same-sex marriages have started to do all they can to destroy one Biblical passage after another in order to legalize homosexuality and affirm that marriage is not necessarily between a man and a woman. They do so by putting forward their new and wrong interpretation – one which displays an attitude and understanding which differs from that which has existed for many years in the Church regarding the meaning of marriage in accordance with the teachings of the Word of God.”

“Some Bible passages that have been misused and given another interpretation to defend same-sex marriage are the following: Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24, Matthew 19:5-7, Romans 1:26-27, Galatians 3:28, etc.”

The statement goes on to say:

“The ELCA and otherpeople worldwide who support our stand on the issue of opposing same-sex marriage believe that the Bible cannot be interpreted according to people’s wishes or according to other authorities of to culture. Rather, the Bible is self explanatory and is merely translated into various languages without altering the meaning.”

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA stand in solidarity with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania’s statement.

Item Six: Conference [One] Declaration

We, the members of Conference [One] of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA declare this conference to be a Lutheran CORE Conference.