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Draft Social Statement on Human Sexuality Released
Dear Partners in Ministry:
The ELCA
Draft Statement on Human
Sexuality
is now available tot he public. Please note that it is a "draft,"
and not the final proposal. Every member of the ELCA has the opportunity to
critique the draft with a response form furnished at its conclusion.
Responses will be accepted by the task force until November 1, 2008. I
encourage you to read the draft, perhaps to even gather small groups from
around your congregations, and then to respond. These responses are taken
very seriously. If earlier experiences with a similar process are any
indication, a considerable portion of this draft will be changed before its
final version is presented next year, and it will be because of the
suggestions received.
In addition to this, there is another
opportunity for you to voice your response. On Saturday, April 26, (the
weekend after our Synod Assembly) a
hearing on the draft will be
held at Our Savior's Lutheran Church,
Owatonna, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Hearings are an opportunity for those who
have read the draft to come and discuss it. A member of the task force will
be present to listen to and respond to comments from those in attendance.
Please note, the hearing is not a time when the draft is presented. It is
designed with the understanding that participants have already read it.
Because of these means available for
discussion of the draft, and because we are still early in the process,
there will not be time devoted to the draft at this year's
Synod Assembly.
The focus this year is "A Synod at Table with the Hungry." It is an
important topic that also deserves our attention.
The final version of the Statement on
Human Sexuality will be made available about this time next year. It will be
available before our 2009 Synod Assembly, and give us an opportunity to
discuss it and react to it before it is voted at the
ELCA Churchwide
Assembly in August 2009. We are planning substantial time during our 2009
Synod Assembly for discussion of this final statement. This will also offer
an opportunity for resolutions to be discussed and voted from around our
synod, and memorials to be sent to the Churchwide Assembly from the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod regarding the statement.
Next year, at this time, recommendations
regarding ordination of candidates in same sex relationships will also be
made available. These were ordered by action of the 2007 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly. You will note they are not included in this draft because they
were not included on the original motion to produce a Social Statement on
Human Sexuality. There will be the same opportunity at the 2009 Synod
Assembly to discuss these recommendations, receive resolutions to be voted,
and if desired, send memorials to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
Again, from previous experience, I
suspect that some in the church will confuse this first draft with the final
version of the statement. Remember and remind others that this is only a
preliminary draft. Everyone is encourage to take an active part in the
process. There often seem to be suspicions that decisions have already been
made behind the scenes. That is simply not true. This is an opportunity for
members to add their input. This is the time to to study the Scripture and
Confessional texts used as a basis for the draft. Engage all members in
discussion about relationships of friendship and trust and the central place
of marriage. Discuss the division present in our church today around the
topic of homosexuality. There is so much in this draft that speaks to the
challenge of living a life of Christian faithfulness in our world today.
What an opportunity this offers for us as a church and as individual
believers.
Thank you for your leadership in dealing
with this ELCA Draft Social Statement on Human Sexuality.
Shalom,
Harold Usgaard
Bishop
Get the draft and read more
on the process...
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