c. 2007 Religion News Service

CHICAGO _ The nation’s largest Lutheran denomination failed to resolve a debate on allowing noncelibate gay and lesbian clergy Friday, pushing a resolution on the divisive issue to Saturday, the last day of a churchwide assembly here.

Delegates to the biennial assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted down a resolution to strike the celibacy requirement on Friday (Aug. 10). A resolution remains on the floor to refer the matter to a church task force. More resolutions may be put forward Saturday.

“It would have been wonderful to get this offensive policy gone,” said Phil Soucy, spokesman of the pro-gay group Lutherans Concerned/North America, whose supporters stood out at the assembly adorned with hand-knit rainbow scarves. “We’re not going anywhere, and this is going to continue to go on until the Holy Spirit convinces people to do the right thing.”

Bishop Craig Johnson of the Minneapolis area synod put forward a resolution to allow bishops and synodical councils to make exceptions to the current policy, which bans noncelibate gay and lesbian pastors.

That would be worse than deferring to a task force, said Megan Rohrer, a lesbian who ministers to the homeless in San Francisco under an alternative option for gay pastors unwilling to be celibate.

“When you allow partial inclusion in the church, it lessens the chance of the policy changing,” she said. “It will lengthen the journey to full inclusion.”

Many voting members prefer to wait for a denominational teaching statement on sexuality scheduled to be completed in 2009.

“Deferment is not procrastination,” said Brandon Johns, of New Castle, Pa., speaking during debate. “It is certainly not meant to be salt in the wounds of our homosexual brothers and sisters.”

On Thursday, the 1,000-odd assembly delegates voted to postpone a decision on blessing same-sex unions until the 2009 statement is completed.

The 5 million-member ELCA, which was founded 20 years ago, is the latest mainline denomination to confront the controversial issue of sexuality in the church.

Whatever happens Saturday, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, who was re-elected at the assembly to another six-year term as ELCA leader, said Monday he does not fear a split in the 66 million-member Lutheran World Federation, of which he is president.

“The Church of Sweden is in a very different place than the Mekane Yesus church in Ethiopia,” Hanson said. “Those differences should not become church-dividing or church-defining.”

Hanson said they will inform the heads of the worldwide churches of results soon after if there is a vote to change policy.

DSB/PH END KENNEL-SHANK