[3] The 2009 Assembly was dominated by debate on the proposed Social Statement,[4] and its accompanying Recommendations for Ministry Policies.
The Recommendations proposed the development of a process in which congregations, synods, and churchwide units that chose to do so could call pastors and other officially recognized church leaders who were in publicly accountable same-gender lifelong monogamous relationships.
The assembly's agenda also included a proposed agreement of full communion between the ELCA and the United Methodist Church, the UMC's first such agreement, along with other business matters, including: the passage of the ELCA Churchwide organization's budget, elections of officers and committee members, reports from Churchwide units and greetings from ecumenical partners.
Its eventual adoption, with its recommendations, opened the way for people in same-sex relationships to serve as pastors and other rostered leaders in the ELCA.
After its adoption, many congregations and pastors who believed that such relationships were contrary to Holy Scripture, the tradition of the Church, and the Lutheran Confessions left the ELCA.
The conservative Judeo-Christian understanding is that sexual relationships between people of the same sex are not part of God's intention for humanity and are an expression of sinful human desire[citation needed] The Biblical texts which are most commonly interpreted as proscribing homosexual activity are Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26–27.
In 1993, a draft Social Statement, "The Church and Human Sexuality: A Lutheran Perspective," which took a permissive view on same-sex relationships, was leaked to the press, resulting in many parishioners being upset with what was misunderstood as new ELCA policy[6] and was withdrawn.
[8] Groups such as Lutherans Concerned/North America continued to advocate for full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life of the ELCA.
In 2003, the Episcopal Church (United States) ordained an openly gay man in a same-sex relationship, the Rev.
By a 581–386 vote, the 2001 Churchwide Assembly acted "to initiate a process in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to develop a social statement on human sexuality.
Over 28,000 responses were received to the study documents,[10] The Task Force put forth three recommendations to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly.
The third recommendation would have retained the current ministry standards 'on the books,' but allowed congregations the discretion to call leaders in same-sex relationships 'for the sake of mission.'
This recommendation of the Task Force, which would have required a two-thirds majority to pass, failed at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly, 490–503.
'[14] Nonetheless, the statement continues, "Recognizing that this conclusion differs from the historic Christian tradition and the Lutheran Confessions, some people, though not all, in this church and within the larger Christian community, conclude that marriage is also the appropriate term to use in describing similar benefits, protection, and support for same-gender couples entering into lifelong, monogamous relationships.
The Statement recognizes that members of the ELCA are bound by conscience to differing understandings of the legitimacy and desirability of same-sex sexual relationships in Christian life.
[19] Dissenting Position Two argued for a more unequivocal statement of full inclusion for LGBT persons in the life of the ELCA.
The Assembly began with a fierce debate on the adoption of the Rules of Procedure which would be key to the events that followed.
[22] This was a defeat for Lutheran CORE, which had argued strenuously against a simple majority deciding a matter of such importance.
[25] Among the implementing resolutions were resolutions that: asked the Presiding Bishop's office to explore the feasibility of developing liturgical rites for use at the time of divorce; affirmed the 2001 ELCA Message "Commercial Sexual Exploitation," and called upon churchwide units to implement the statement and report to the Church Council by 2012.
These denominations likewise jointly worship, may exchange clergy, and also share a commitment to evangelism, witness and service in the world.
[35] The timing of this tornado with the day of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly's vote on the Social Statement "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" sparked an increased interest in the Assembly across social media, local print and broadcast news, the religious blogosphere, and a few national-level media outlets including the magazine Christianity Today[36] and a blog by the religion editor of The Washington Times.
[41] Lutherans Concerned/North America and Goodsoil continue to advocate for full inclusion of LGBT people in the life of the ELCA.
[42] Also in 2011, Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson participated in the 'It Gets Better' campaign, recording a YouTube video[43] and contributing to the book.
After the 2009 Assembly, several hundred pastors and congregations left the ELCA for new and existing Lutheran church bodies.
An announcement stated the board was no longer "in good conscience able to commune and partner with ELCA Church that has willfully disobeyed the word of God and regrettably departed from the clear instructions of the Holy Scriptures," since the Word of God "declares marriage is only between a man and a woman.