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Lodi, Galt Lutherans have mixed opinions on gay clergy
Local Lutheran churches continue to digest whether the largest Lutheran organization made the right decision to allow gays in committed relationships to become priests and to allow for a union among gay couples.
"I've never been more proud to be a Lutheran," D'Arlene Rosenau, a long-time member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lodi.
"Me too," said Lorene Freggario, another St. Paul member.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which includes two churches in Lodi and one in Galt, voted on Aug. 21 to allow gays in committed relationships to be pastors and deacons.
The church assembly also voted to allow same-sex couples to be officially blessed by the church. Pastor Mark Price of Lodi's St. Paul Lutheran Church said on Sunday he doesn't know whether the "blessing" will mean marriage a ceremony or some other form of commitment. It may take a couple of years for ELCA leaders to work out the details, Price said.
While some members at St. Paul said they were glad to see the ELCA become more welcoming to gays, congregations of two other ELCA churches — Emanuel in Lodi and Shepherd of the Valley in Galt — were generally disappointed over the ELCA delegates' votes.
What makes the Lutheran church a little confusing is that there are three congregations in Lodi that are not affiliated with the ELCA. Two of them — St. Peter Lutheran and Redeemer — are in what is known as the Lutheran Missouri Synod, and Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church is in the Wisconsin Synod. All share more conservative social values.
Price and Shepherd of the Valley Pastor Mary Sanders said that the more than 1,000 voting delegates at the ELCA assembly in Minneapolis debated the issue with complete respect and without any signs or protesters.
The assembly's vote allows gay pastors and deacons to serve at ELCA churches, but it doesn't force any congregation to accept a gay leader, Price said. When there's an opening for a pastor, the bishop will make a recommendation, but it requires a two-thirds vote by the congregation for the pastor to be accepted, whether or not the person is gay, Price said.
At this time, gay marriage is not allowed in the ELCA. Marriage remains a union between a man and a woman, Price said.
After a meeting of the congregation between St. Paul's two services on Sunday, church member Roger Vincent said he's been amazed why homosexuality and abortion play such a great role at churches since many "rules" stated in the Bible are ignored.
Two examples Vincent cited are the requirements that a woman be stoned if she leaves her husband, and that children be stoned for disobeying their parents.
If homosexuality was so important, why didn't Christ address it, Vincent asked.
"Its absence speaks for itself, in my mind," Vincent said.
Marilyn Maki, another St. Paul member, questioned the interpretation of John 3:16, which states, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
Maki said, "It doesn't say, 'Any straight person who believes in me.'"
Price and some members of the St. Paul congregation also said on Sunday how glad they are that those who disagree on homosexuality within their faith can still respect each other. Price referred to the term "bound conscience," which means to respect another's opinions that differ from your own.
Some at St. Paul weren't sure what to think about the ELCA assembly's action regarding gays.
"Truthfully, I'm conflicted," St. Paul member Terry Hickey, of Woodbridge, said last week. "I'm trying to understand God's will in this, not mine. I want to approach this with Christ's love in it. We're all sinners, so I guess a sin is a sin. My sin, whatever that is — we're all in the same pool."
Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.
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Inquisitor wrote on Sep 2, 2009 4:49 PM:
Here, "man" is transliterated as "iysh" from the Hebrew, as in opposition to woman. "Mankind" is transliterated from "zakar," meaning male. And "lieth" is "mishkab" from the Hebrew, meaning to lie as in "sleep in bed" for sexual intercourse. I provide this information to counter any opposition that the word "man" could mean "man or woman" or that "lieth" could mean "lie down innocently on a beach," or something of that nature. "
Inquisitor wrote on Sep 2, 2009 4:19 PM:
edumacation wrote on Sep 1, 2009 10:43 AM:
Hundreds of studies show that so-called monomogous homosexual relationships are rare. The view of most homo couples is that the "marriage" is only a "base of operations". Each is encouraged to continue the promiscuity and anonymous sex that was present before the marriage. Tha main difference, is that they can insure each other for the various diseases they get because they are now "a couple".
If they need the medical insurance coverage, maybe they can call their relationship some other name. How about roommate, Or bunk buddies?
ROFL: And all of this subterfuge hiding under the pretext of the church.
What ever happened to moral standards? When do we start dismantling the Ten Commandments? Oops, we already have.
Its now called the "Ten Suggestions". "
perspective wrote on Aug 31, 2009 7:32 PM:
voter wrote on Aug 31, 2009 7:08 PM:
jessejane wrote on Aug 31, 2009 6:59 PM:
You do not hire a pedophile to watch over your kids... or lead your church.
You do not knowingly hire a murderer, an alcoholic, an adulterer or any other 'sinner' or immorally 'acting' person to lead your church.
When that starts happening the church is no longer a church...
Jesus loved the sinner... that is what he was sent to do.
We can love the sinner and not the sin... but it doesn't mean we have them as our leaders!
Personally... not any of the mentioned sinners is the kind of person I want to follow.
Just my thought. "
dogs4you wrote on Aug 31, 2009 2:23 PM:
max stanfield wrote on Aug 31, 2009 2:16 PM:
Inquisitor wrote on Aug 31, 2009 1:32 PM:
edumacation wrote on Aug 31, 2009 12:33 PM:
I don't think that bestiality-rights will be the next progression, but what about polyandry? Two husbands with one wife.
We never want to exclude anyone, so its only time before additional aberrant or illegal behaviors of the past become mainstreamed today. Does it depend on which moral weakness is most politically correct? Lets stay tuned to see what is next. I hope pederasts are not included next. "
veritas wrote on Aug 31, 2009 11:46 AM:
tosh conn wrote on Aug 31, 2009 11:12 AM:
thinkaboutit wrote on Aug 31, 2009 10:43 AM:
Jenn H wrote on Aug 31, 2009 7:03 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.