Lutherans

Thousands of Lutherans will gather in Minneapolis on August 17 to take an historic vote on LGBT issues within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). With only weeks before the vote, delegates to the assembly are being wooed by supporters and opponents of a more welcoming church for LGBT Lutherans. If the measures pass, the ELCA would become the largest religious denomination in the United States to ordain gay pastors.

Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will gather in Minneapolis this August for a vote on whether to become more welcoming to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Lutherans. Their decision could pave the way for gay and lesbian pastors, bring same-sex commitment ceremonies to local congregations and impact policy in a state with a large number of Lutheran elected officials.

The largest organization of Lutherans in the world is mulling over how best to include gays and lesbians in its ministry, and the answer thus far is: they don’t know. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which has around 5 million members, released a draft document this month outlining suggestions for the church’s positions [...]