(RNS) In late September, Lutheran dissidents said they would hunker down for a year and study whether to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and create a new church body.
Less than two months later, on Wednesday (Nov. 19) Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) announced that indeed such a body “will likely be necessary.”
“What happened was the idea of a discussion for a year became kind of scary for people who want to leave now,” said the Rev. David Baer, a CORE spokesman and pastor of an ELCA church in Whitewood, S.D.
Baer said his own church will vote this weekend on whether to join CORE, which he estimates counts around 700 congregations as members.
CORE said no “firm decisions” have been made about how the new church body will be structured; recommendations will be released in February. “The working committee is just beginning their work,” Baer said. “What we’ve done is paint a little picture of what a church body will look like.”
Conservative Lutherans have been distressed since the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly voted in August to allow gays and lesbians in committed, same-sex relationships to be ordained as clergy. The assembly also voted to allow congregations to recognize and support such relationships.
“The vote on sexuality opened the eyes of many to how far the ELCA has moved from biblical teaching,” the Rev. Paull Spring, CORE’s chair, said in a statement Wednesday.
ELCA spokesman John Brooks said CORE’s announcement was expected.
“We are staying focused on our clear priorities and clear mission. More than 10,000 congregations that want to be part of that mission.”
Five congregations have taken the two votes necessary to leave the ELCA since the Churchwide Assembly, Brooks said. The ELCA has approximately 4.6 million members spread across 10,300 congregations.
Eighty-seven congregations have taken the first vote, and 28 of those did not attain the two-thirds majority required to leave the denomination, Brooks said.
“That two-thirds hurdle is a big hurdle for some congregations,” Baer said.
By Daniel Burke
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted November 19, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Whatever floats their little boats.
posted November 19, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I will be sorry to see them go, but I would be sorry to continue hurting my neighbors by denying God’s love for each other.
posted November 19, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Samo samo.
Conservatives want their own little churches with their own little beliefs.
posted November 19, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I am an ELCA member, and I know there are those who disagree so strongly with the recent decisions that they cannot in good conscience support the church, monetarily or otherwise. That is obviously an untenable situation for them, and I agree that they need to move on. I wish them well and pray for them. I do wish, however, that they would join an already existing conservative Lutheran church body, such as the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, rather than forming yet another micro-denomination.
posted November 20, 2009 at 12:39 am
It’s getting to be a Protestant kaleidoscope! So many options, so many possibilities! We may fracture down to a few dozen here and a couple of score there. What Marty started 500 years ago has continued on and on. It will indeed be interesting to see what happens once the rebound begins. The UCC began as an effort to heal the wounds of the Civil War, mending fractured denominations. I wonder if other new unifying denominations will emerge from all this?!
posted November 20, 2009 at 1:02 am
When a church strays away from biblical teachings it is no longer a member of the Body of Christ it has invested all it is on false doctrine it no longer seeks to please God but the fleshly desires of man.
posted November 20, 2009 at 1:24 am
Same old same old, cknuck and it was boring the first time.
posted November 20, 2009 at 10:34 am
cknuck, you reject parts of the bible just as much as the next guy. Just like these Christians, you have your own interpretation of it.
This is what happens when you get a man made religion. It ceases to serve its purpose of reflecting what is in a particular groups ideology so they go off and create their own religion that reflects their personal ideology.
Religion for many is just about finding the group that mirrors your beliefs. That’s why people join, that’s why people leave, that’s essentially what their practical purpose is. People like to be around others that reinforce their ideas. Nothing wrong with that, until you start to think your group is better than everyone else’s and they should follow your particular brand. Then we’ve got trouble.
posted November 20, 2009 at 11:29 am
cknuck, why in the world are you so scared of something different in the world of religion? Your version isn’t the only correct one…fortunately…and as is obvious by this article.
posted November 20, 2009 at 12:52 pm
pagan first nothing scares me, second I don’t have a version. According to God’s word this article only points out that as the bible predicts some churches have strayed away from God’s word.
posted November 20, 2009 at 1:32 pm
confess you show how little you know about Christianity. It’s not about being better than others its about a standard of living that glorifies God and we believe men having sex with men and women with women is wrong and indecent. And just like you believe it is decent we are allowed our beliefs. Everyone serves a belief.
posted November 20, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Nothing scares you, cknuck? What about fear of dying? Fear of dying “wrong” with your lord? Fear of your wife or daughter being rapped? Fear of government health insurance that would help a lot of people while, just maybe, costing you more in taxes? What about the day, which is coming, when gay marriage will be accepted in the US?
I’d be really surprised if some or all those things didn’t scare you.
posted November 20, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Depends on the definition of “stray”, cknuck. Different interpretations don’t necessarily constitute straying from what your god (in you view) might consider “straying” Key word here..interpretation of the holy book. The results….different “Christian” churches…all following what they believe. No problem.
posted November 20, 2009 at 7:50 pm
nnmns, all folks are scared of something…even those who don’t admit it.
posted November 20, 2009 at 8:02 pm
… because everybody knows that it’s a sin to let homosexuals seat next to people in church.
posted November 22, 2009 at 12:16 am
nnmns quote, “I’d be really surprised if some or all those things didn’t scare you”
Surprise, but your right I wouldn’t want to see anyone rapped. Sorry I couoldn’t resist that I’m not the best speller way worst than you. pagan speak for yourself.
Hiram, homosexuals sit next to me at church all the time I just don’t sit under the leadership of practicing homosexuals or anyone else who is practicing a sin.
posted November 22, 2009 at 4:55 pm
“pagan speak for yourself’.cknuck I always do.
)
posted November 22, 2009 at 10:10 pm
no you spoke for “all folks” be truthful
posted November 23, 2009 at 10:29 am
cknuck,
It’s folly to tell someone they “know so little” and then not describe how you came up with this idea? It shows how desperate you are. I’ll tell you what I tell my son,
“It’s more important to love than to be right and often when you let go of your quest to be right you find yourself in a beautiful new world of truth”
I think you are on these boards to boast and try to seem as though you’ve gotten somewhere special in life. I don’t think it has anything to do with sharing ideas or engaging in thoughtful discussion. I think it is void of goodness and just an exercise in ego for you and the sad thing is that it only serves to make you look pathetic.
posted November 23, 2009 at 2:01 pm
confess get off of your high horse, tell your son whatever you want but it is about being right with you. You don’t like the fact I disagree with you or my opinion is so radically different than yours. You see that finger your pointing at me, count how many are pointing back at you.
if you think for one moment that I am going to water down what I believe for the sake of engaging with people like you whose only wish is to strike a blow at Christianity then you are indeed out of touch. So when I post one of my “different” opinions just don’t respond and I won’t have to put you back in your place. Don’t pretend that you are open to discuss Christian principles in a civil manner because your post have proved you only want to strike out at Christian biblical principles, that is your place so keep it real. Don’t be a deceiver.
posted November 23, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Yes, cknuck, I did say all folks, and I stand by that. I also spoke for myself, as being human, I have things that make me uncomfortable or “scared” just like all humans. Personally, I don’t believe that “nothing scares you”.
posted November 23, 2009 at 7:31 pm
pagan when you’ve been around as much death as I have, it’s not uncommon that wouldn’t be able to understand or believe. Does what you believe change anything? nope!
posted November 23, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I’ve been fortunate not to have been around “death” in my career. Just wonderful, happy (for the most part) kids.
Does what you believe change anything, cknuck? Nope.
posted November 23, 2009 at 11:04 pm
pagan quote, “Does what you believe change anything, cknuck? Nope”
Maybe not for you pagan but for myself and many other lives, we thank God that you are wrong.
posted November 24, 2009 at 7:56 pm
“…….we thank God that you are wrong”. cknuck
Whatever makes you a happy camper.