Lutherans Act on Sexuality Recommendations
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005
Posted: 10:58:41AM EST

Top leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America avoided deciding on several controversial requests to change the current standards of ordination that prohibit sexually active gays and lesbians into the ministry.

During its regular fall meeting in Chicago earlier this week, ELCA Church Council declined a request to review the “Vision and Expectation” document that outlines ordination standards. The council also referred to a separate board a resolution related to the church’s discipline in cases where ordination standards are violated.

The council of the ELCA Southwest California Synod in Glendale forwarded a resolution requesting the Council to authorize the denomination’s Vocation and Education board to conduct a review of the ordination standards. Under current standards, ministers are expected to practice fidelity in marriage and chastity if single; homosexuals are expected to be celibate since same-sex unions are not recognized as marriages. The rest