Lutherans plan denominational split
Last summer the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) voted to enter into full communion with The United Methodist Church. Then the Lutherans turned around and lifted their ban on sexually active gay clergy, thus formally departing from the very clear teachings of the Bible and the Great Tradition on Christian sexual morality. At that point a denominational split was simply inevitable - indeed we might say it had already begun.
Now moderates and conservatives within the Lutheran Church are planning the formation of a new denomination (for more, go here or here). No doubt these folks will be called "conservatives" or "traditionalists" in reports, but the fact that they are not seeking to join the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod (LCMS) or the much more conservative Wisconsin Synod demonstrates that these are in fact more moderate conservatives who nevertheless will not remain in communion with the ELCA if there is a departure from Scriptural teaching.
Now moderates and conservatives within the Lutheran Church are planning the formation of a new denomination (for more, go here or here). No doubt these folks will be called "conservatives" or "traditionalists" in reports, but the fact that they are not seeking to join the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod (LCMS) or the much more conservative Wisconsin Synod demonstrates that these are in fact more moderate conservatives who nevertheless will not remain in communion with the ELCA if there is a departure from Scriptural teaching.
Labels: God and Sexuality, Lutheranism
posted by Rev. Daniel McLain Hixon at 11/19/2009
2 Comments:
I was told due to the fact that WELS and LCMS do not ordain women, these former ELCA memebers did not want to join either of those bodies.
Hi Kevin,
I am also under that impression right now, though I haven't looked into it very far. This would be a demonstration, though, that we are talking about pretty moderate "conservatives" since most of world Christianity does not ordain women; just doing that probably puts you left of center, really. I think this helps put the moves of groups like the ELCA, the UCC and the Episcopal Church in perspective, they really are a radical departure, even from moderate forms of Christianity, though sometimes it is difficult to see that from within an American cultural location.
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