I've been thinking about the news out of minneapolis this week that the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America)
has voted to let sexually active/practicing gays/lesbians be pastors in their churches. While it is not suddenly mandated that they have to be accepted by each church (each church has that decision); this obviously is a huge change in church policy.
I wonder if that means that the LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) will see an increase in numbers? They are more conservative and traditional than ELCA, but have recently begun efforts to expand their membership by having more contemporary services, especially in the larger cities.
I personally cannot see how a church can accept what God condems, and would like someone to tell me where in the bible it says that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is acceptable for God. I don't remember Martin Luther saying: that is okay in 2009 when man can make a choice and do what is seen as (maybe) publically acceptable. Modernizing, right?
Maybe this is like the trend seen in Europe,
becoming more secular. In Matthew 19: 4-5: “Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read that the One who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh”? Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.’ ”
But I have heard from a few of my friends that this verse claims acceptance and knowledge by Jesus of being born gay/lesbian: (Matthew 19: 10-12): “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
I don't claim to know this dialouge very well, but would wish someone would translate it for me.
That all said, I am glad I am a member of a LCMS church that teaches what the bible says, and doesn't do what is seen as current social normalcy.
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