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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which has become the latest denomination to lift a ban on gay clergy, announced this week that it is reinstating two gay pastors — a same-sex couple — to its clergy roster.
The Associated Press reports that the Rev. Bradley Schmeling was removed from the group’s roster in 2007 for being in a same-sex relationship — a violation of ELCA policy until the Church Council adopted revisions last month to allow “eligible Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships” to serve as clergy.
His partner, the Rev. Darin Easler, whom he met at a church conference in 2004, had been removed from the clergy roster in 2006, and has worked in hospice care under the United Church of Christ.
According to the ELCA press release issued Tuesday, Schmeling plans to continue serving as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, the Atlanta congregation that had chosen to violate the ELCA ban for the past three years; Easler willl continue his hospice work, under the auspices of the ELCA.
No word on whether other reinstatements are in the pipeline, but Julia Duin of The Washington Times says more are expected as local churches adopt the revised policy. Check back for updates, and share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
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posted May 5, 2010 at 3:08 pm
The reinstated clergy are deserving of an apology by the denomination.
posted May 5, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Excellent….they should have never been “let go” to begin with!
posted May 5, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Well, whatever was stated in the previous article I tried to send you won’t make much difference. If the ELCA continues down this path with such a liberal policy concerning openly practicing homosexuals, it will present a real stumbling block towards intercommunion – at least in America. No wonder they are continuing to decline in number!
posted May 5, 2010 at 6:30 pm
It’ll be interesting to see how soon the ELCA decides that murder is ok (oh…that’s right…they’ve already done that with abortion)…well, maybe they can ok theft next? Lying? Of course, all those things are obviously tolerated already, but maybe they can move on to produce the documentation for it.
I wonder if it has occurred to any of them that God hasn’t actually been standing around holding His breath, waiting for them to “decide” about these things?? Fools. He calls Himself I AM THAT I AM for a reason…and that reason doesn’t have anything to do with the way they present Him.
posted May 5, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Meryl, good to know that you know what GOD is thinking and doing! I’m so totally impressed! (NOT)
posted May 6, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Meryl, we know what you are: an arrogant, ignorant fool. You know nothing about God.
posted September 1, 2010 at 7:21 pm
What do you expect from the ELCA anyway? Christians from the teeth out I suppose. Well we moving to Missouri Synod….by ELCA!
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