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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America New Rule for Pastors


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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) today in its Churchwide Assembly has approved standards for ordained leaders (Pastors) that allow homosexuals to be Pastors while in committed relationships. Previous the rule was that they had to be celibate.

 

The ELCA is the largest Lutheran body in the US and is one of the larger and older religious chartering organizations. Its predecessor bodies had units clear back to 1910.

 

What Im seeing that the present stance of the BSA is in direct opposition to a religious body and how does the BSA reconcile it membership regulations with its statement of religious principles, which state the members faith defines their beliefs and Scouting is not to change it.

 

When a unit is chartered or renews its charter, it has to designate an Institutional Head, depending on the way the constitution of the Lutheran congregation, that could be the lead pastor or the president (lay). The president always could have been a homosexual and now so could the Pastor.

 

It looks like that the BSA needs only to be concerned on the safety of the members when it looks at leadership not at religious tests. Lets have local option for our Charter Organization.

 

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The ELCA has approximately 4.7 million members making them the fifth largest religious body in the US. They have almost 10,500 congregations. I can't find a figure for how many BSA units are chartered by ELCA churches but I suspect that it is a significant number.

 

I agree with NW about local option. As Bob Dylan said, the times they are a'changing.

 

 

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I'm not Lutheran, I'm Episcopalian (another denomination going through similar issues), but I like BSA membership policies just the way they are. If an ELCA (or ECUSA) church doesn't want to charter a Boy Scout Troop, they don't have to. But they shouldn't impose their views on BSA (I'm not saying they are).

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Of course not, Ed; animals are incapable of consent. Why do you equate homosexuality with bestiality? Do you believe that homosexuals are not human?

 

I'm not equating homosexuality with bestiality nor do I believe or ever state homosexuals are not human.

 

What I am asking is if the ELCA said and ordained pastor could participate in bestiality would that make it OK? Stop trying to spin it your way Hal & answer the question!

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This is a stupid question ... but does the Institutional Head/Chartered Organization Head have to be a registered member of the BSA? Or just the COR?

 

I'm not seeing a position code on the adult application ... don't know if it's covered by the recharter process or something.

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