ELCA South Dakota Synod Rejects Human Sexuality Statement

News flash from Nina Joy, Luther Seminary student, live-blogging the ELCA South Dakota Synod Assembly: our Lutheran friends have rejected the ELCA's proposed social statement on "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust." The statement is a wide-ranging declaration of the ELCA's position on issues pertaining to sexuality, marriage, divorce, trust, etc. It also happens to include, as I understand it, permission for non-celibate homosexuals in committed monogamous relationships to serve as clergy. The synod assembly passed Resolution 6, a rejection of said statement and affirmation of current ELCA teachings on sexuality, by a vote of 362 to 238.

Now understand, this vote was not simply rednecks nervous about letting those durned homina-homina-sexuals near our kids. There were genuine concerns that the proposed new statement derived too much support from some shaky theology. Resolution 6, in the original form distributed prior to the assembly, takes this tack, focusing on theological language and only declaring the new statement "less helpful" than existing documents (see page 8 of the resolutions packet)

I'll learn more about that theology and the vote this evening, upon the return of my lovely wife, a voting delegate to the synod assembly from St. John Lutheran Church of Madison.