08.15
The Lutheran church had a chance to strike a major blow for civil rights, but they slipped. At the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America convention, the issue of allowing gay pastors was put to a vote. Pastors were allowed to be gay as long as they abstained from homosexual activity. The issue was whether or not they should be allowed to be in a relationship, which I think is a pretty fair request. If they had wanted to choose between God and love, they would’ve become Catholic.
Delegates voted against the measure 503-490. The proposal needed a two-thirds majority to pass.
However, they did overwhelmingly decide to allow gay marriage. Just so long as the one being married isn’t a pastor, I suppose….
The Rev. G. Scott Cady of the New England Synod said that rejecting gay pastors was essentially rejecting God’s plan. “We have vacant pulpits and altars in congregations all over this country, We have people crying out for pastoral care,” he said. “The Holy Spirit has said, `All right, here they are. Here they are.’ Are we going to now say, `Thanks Holy Spirit, but we prefer something else.’” I this guy. We need more Christians like that. 
However, even the most conservative Lutheran’s feel it is only a matter of time before this rule is overturned, possibly even by next year. Let’s hope so.
One step at a time, I suppose…