Bishop Wollersheim's message to rostered leaders regarding the 2007 Churchwide Assembly

To:  Northern Illinois Synod Rostered Leaders

From:  Bishop Gary Wollersheim

Subject:  2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly

Friends,

I am sure that you are reading reports in the newspapers and on the web concerning the recent ELCA Churchwide Assembly.  I am surprised, although I probably shouldn’t be, by the uneven and inaccurate press coverage it is getting.  So I thought I would share some reflections about it, using notes provided by the Secretary of the Church Dr. Lowell Almen.  I will also be speaking about the Churchwide Assembly at the upcoming Professional Leaders Conference.

A variety of major decisions were made by the Assembly that appear not to be receiving much attention:

• affirmation of the initiative, “Lutherans Read the Bible”;
• the reelection of Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson with 86% of the vote on the second ballot;
• the election of a new secretary, Mr. David Swartling of Seattle, Washington;
• adoption of a social statement on education;
• ongoing and intensified commitment to the battle against HIV and AIDS;
• concern for efforts for peace in the Middle East.

A summary of the Assembly’s decisions on issues of sexuality might be that voting members

• wished to continue the process of deliberation leading to a social statement on issues of sexuality in 2009, and

• seemed mindful of the exhortation of the 2005 Orlando Assembly “to concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of disagreements, recognizing the God-given mission and communion that we share as members of the body of Christ”

The individual decisions of the 2007 Chicago Assembly reflect these two broad themes and have raised questions seeking clarification:

1.         Did the 2007 Churchwide Assembly change or direct that changes be made in the ministry policies of this church (e.g., “Vision and Expectations” and “Definitions and Guidelines)?  No. The recommendation of the Memorials Committee (2007 Pre-Assembly Report, Section VI, Part E-2, pp. 66-67)—as amended —was adopted 819-171 (82.73%). It called for the memorials to be referred to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality as part of their deliberation.

2.         The desire that roster standards be addressed in 2009 was underscored by the amendment that was adopted to the recommendation (E-2) of the Memorials Committee. That amendment—which was approved 692-303 (69.55%)—directed that the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality “specifically address and make recommendations to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly on changes to any policies that preclude practicing homosexual persons from the rosters of this church.”

3.         What else happened? Voting members adopted, by a 538-431 vote (55.52%), what appears to be a “sense motion”—and not a legislative act to change policy.  The action  “prays, urges, and encourages synods, synodical bishops, and the presiding bishop to refrain from or demonstrate restraint in disciplining those congregations and persons who call into the rostered ministry otherwise-qualified candidates who are in a mutual, chaste, and faithful committed same-gender relationship....”

The “sense motion” does not change the policies and standards that guide and direct the decisions of Candidacy Committees. In regard to the candidacy process, Candidacy Committees continue to be obligated to abide by the existing policies of this church.  That same action “prays, urges, and encourages synods, synodical bishops, and the presiding bishop to refrain from or demonstrate restraint in disciplining those rostered leaders in a mutual, chaste, and faithful committed same-gender relationship who have been called and rostered in this church.”

At a news conference following the decisions, Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said:  “These are words of counsel,”  “They are not words that change the standards of this church. They reflect the mind of this Assembly as it seeks to give counsel to the leaders of this church.”

4.         Is the Landahl motion open ended? Although no time frame is included in the resolution, it appears from the language of the motion that it is set in the context of the next biennium, during which this church is to engage in study and moral deliberation for the preparation of a proposed social statement on human sexuality. That statement is to be submitted to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The resolution defines its purpose as “an effort to continue as a church in moral deliberation without further strife and pain to its members....”

5.         The context of the current biennium was underscored further by voting members in the adoption of the “Gleason” resolution on a vote of 318-309 (50.72%). That resolution requested discussion by the Conference of Bishops on “the matter of the accountability of bishops to the adopted policies, practices, and procedures of the ELCA....” The motion also asked that “a clear statement of such accountability” be formulated “for consideration and adoption by the 2009 [Churchwide] Assembly....” It should be noted that this resolution covers a broad range that goes beyond only roster and discipline matters.

6.         So that the memorials of numerous synods on this topic might be part of the documentation for the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality (2007 Pre-Assembly Report, Section VI, Part E-4, pp. 69-74), the Assembly voted that those memorials—along with “a verbatim record of [the] committee-of-the-whole discussion of these issues”—be referred for the “ongoing discernment and deliberation” of the task force. That recommendation was adopted 697-245 (73.99%).

This is probably more information than you ever wanted.  Please don’t hesitate to call me with any questions.  Pastor Jeff Clements also attended the entire Assembly and would be glad to share his thoughts about it.

Hope you are doing well.

I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Mission Gatherings and again at the Professional Leaders Conference.

God’s blessings.

In Christ,

Bishop Gary Wollersheim