The Upper Iowa River conference of the Northeastern Iowa Synod has passed a resolution to be considered by the synod as a whole. Here it is:
Whereas the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a constitutionally governed organization served by constitutionally elected leaders at both the synod and church wide levels, and
Whereas the stated purposes of the organization known as Lutheran CORE are to 1) bring forth a proposal for a new Lutheran church body governed by a new constitution for those who choose to leave the ELCA, and 2) to plan for the continuation of Lutheran CORE as a free-standing synod for all Lutherans, and
Whereas it is an inherent conflict of interest for individuals who are members of CORE to fully and wholeheartedly support the ELCA constitution,
Be it Resolved that: 1) all rostered and lay leaders who are members of CORE and are currently serving in elected positions in the NE Iowa Synod be required to resign from those positions, and that 2) all rostered and lay individuals currently holding membership in CORE be disqualified from election to positions of leadership within the NEIA Synod.
Lutherans Concerned North America (LCNA) is the primary LGBT advocacy group within the ELCA. At first blush, one might expect LCNA to support this resolution; not so, LCNA emphatically opposes it:
Regardless of what sparked this resolution into existence, it is very un-Lutheran and should be rejected immediately as such. It certainly is nothing fostered or endorsed by Lutherans Concerned/North America.
What do you think? Can Lutheran CORE persons, with their strong and often heated opposition to CWA09 resolutions, effectively serve in ELCA leadership positions?
UPDATE: I”m not entirely satisfied with the Memedex poll used originally in this post. Thus, I have deleted it and substituted a poll from a different third party located in the sidebar to the right. Try that instead. Polling results to date are 16 yes and 10 no.
UPDATE TWO: Dissatisfied with the second third party poll, I have taken that one down as well. FYI the vote was mostly split between the 50-60 respondents.
I agree with the LCNA folks. Being part of a group that wants to create a new church shouldn’t bar one from serving in a leadership capacity within the ELCA. However, if someone joins this new “North American Lutheran Church,” then yes, it’s time for them to go.
Chris, agreed. By virtue of joining NALC they would have to leave the ELCA, according to the ELCA secretary, dual rostering is no longer allowed, although it has been done for the entire twenty years of the existence of the ELCA prior to this year.
It seems to me like the analogy is the criteria used during slave owning days – once the churches had split over the owning of slaves prior to the Civil War, people and the clergy were expected to either move to the church that their views aligned with, or keep their peace. “No one can serve two masters” sort of thing. It stretches credulity to assume that an office holder in any level of church organization can be trusted to do their duty if they actively work to support views that directly contradict what a 2/3rds majority have decided. The two thirds majority decision does NOT mean that the one third minority are now exempt from supporting the decision. And, supporting the decision of a super majority means exactly that. No crossed fingers behind the back, no continuing the arguments and warfare, etc. In the pre-Civil War era that meant that no one could say they were against slavery, because that’s what their church had decided, and yet continue to own slaves. That’s what our ancestors did – and it seems like a good model to follow even in our own time.
As usual, your own mileage may vary …
I find it interesting that dual rostering “has been done for the entire twenty years of the existence of the ELCA prior to this year”, and now is suddenly discontinued. What is the ELCA afraid of?
“Whereas it is an inherent conflict of interest for individuals who are members of CORE to fully and wholeheartedly support the ELCA constitution,…”
Actually, those who voted last August in favor of the social statement “Gift and Trust” did not “fully and wholeheartedly support the ELCA constitutuion, because they voted against the Bible and Sola Scriptura, and for “the ways of the world.” ELCA theologians have noted this bypassing of the ELCA constitution on Lutheran Forum Online and elsewhere. The ELCA should be embarassed and ashamed.