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Response to the actions taken regarding human sexuality
             at the ELCA’s 2009 Churchwide Assembly
              Siri C. Erickson. TLC. August 22/23, 2009


                                Mark 12:28-31
28
  One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another,
and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which
commandment is the first of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O
Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with
all your strength.’ 31The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”



INTRO
       It has been a fascinating week to observe the way communities
engage in the difficult work of moral deliberation. I’ve been following two
different conversations: the national debate over health care reform at town
hall meetings across the country and our ELCA Churchwide Assembly’s
work on human sexuality. The behavior of people participating in the health
care and sexuality conversations was dramatically different.
       The health care town hall meetings have been characterized by tactics
of organized disruption, disrespect, shouting, and personal attacks. The
baseness of the behavior at these meeting was epitomized by the young
woman who, at a town hall meeting with Massachusetts representative
Barney Frank, compared Obama’s health care policy to the Nazis while
holding a poster of the president’s face debased with a Hitler-style mustache.

       The sexuality debates at the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly here in
Minneapolis this week have also had moments of tension and the public
speaking of strongly divergent opinions. But the behavior of the Lutheran
delegates has been, for the most part, respectful and conducted with a
commitment to listening. The Assembly took time to pray and sing together
every 20 minutes during the deliberations and actually voted to respect the
consciences of one another, to value our unity in Christ in the midst of
differences, and to not abandon one another. Watching the ELCA
deliberations and contrasting them to that of the health care town hall
meetings has made me proud to be a Lutheran.

                                                                            1
OUTCOMES
        Neither conversation is over. Neither debate is fully resolved. Work
on finding solutions for how to expand health care coverage to meet the
needs of all Americans is still going on, and we don’t know yet what the
outcomes will be.
        Moral deliberation about articulating a faithful understanding of
human sexuality is still ongoing, but the Churchwide Assembly did take
some votes that have moved the debate into new territory. The Assembly,
made of up pastors and congregational members from Lutheran churches
around the country, took some significant actions.
        In a two-thirds majority vote, the Assembly passed a social statement
on Human Sexuality, which includes but is not limited to the following
actions: a condemnation of the global sex trade, commodification of the
body, and commercialization of sexuality, an affirmation that sexuality is a
gift from God and can be expressed in both healthy and loving ways and in
ways that harm individuals and society, and an acknowledgment of four
different conscience bound approaches to homosexuality and same gender
relationships found within our churches.
        Additionally, the Assembly voted to adopt recommendations to allow
congregations who so choose to call gay and lesbian pastors in publicly
accountable, lifelong, monogamous relationships.
        Whether or not you agree with the actions of the ELCA Churchwide
Assembly, the sexuality debate raises anew the issue of how we make moral
decisions, both as individuals and as communities.

TWO APPROACHES to MORAL DELIBERATION
      This week we have seen two very different approaches to moral
deliberation. The path of division, polarization, demonization, and
misinformation, as seen in the health care town hall meetings. Or, the
commitment to loving the neighbor, respecting the consciences of those who
have different opinions, and recognizing that our unity in Jesus is stronger
and more important that our disagreements over any particular moral issue,
as witnessed to us by the work of the Churchwide Assembly.




                                                                            2
RESPONSIBILITY of LEADERSHIP in MORAL DELIBERATION
       This is one of those moments in time when I believe that it is my
particular responsibility as a leader to both guide and encourage moral
deliberation in our community and to speak honestly about my own
conscience-bound beliefs.
       I truly do not know if you feel like Trinity is a place where you could
share your honest thoughts, concerns, stories and questions about
homosexuality and same gender relationships, but we will never know until
some are willing to take the risk of speaking openly and honestly.

MY THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES
        Today, then, I speak on my own behalf and not for other pastors, the
congregational council or anyone else.
        In deciding how to share my own thoughts and experiences, I decided
that I needed to be as clear as possible. And so I share this with you,
knowing that we will not all agree, that each of us will have a different story
to tell, and that there may be some anger, discomfort, and pain for many of
you as this conversation continues in the months to come.
        For me, I cannot think of a single day in my life when I have ever
thought that publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same gender
relationships were sinful, evil, unnatural, wrong, or against God’s will.
        To say it positively, throughout my entire life I have always believed
in the goodness, beauty, and rightness of two people, regardless of gender,
entering into a publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous relationship
based on mutual love, friendship, and respect. And I certainly would be
proud to serve a church alongside such a person who is a pastor or
congregational leader.
        My story starts with the family. The commitment of my grandma and
grandpa Anderson to living out an ethic of generous hospitality and love of
neighbor as a matter of deep faith made an early impression on me. My
grandfather was a prominent doctor and congregational leader in Owatonna,
Minnesota. When the first black family moved to town in the 50s, grandma
and grandpa invited them over for dinner and developed a close friendship
with their family. When a family of little people moved to town, grandma
and grandpa invited them into their home for a meal and enjoyed time with
their new friends.




                                                                                 3
When a sixth grade teacher came out as gay, grandma and grandpa
adopted him into the family. He is one of my grandmother’s best friends to
this day. When my grandfather died and my grandma had to move out of
her home of 50 years, Ron flew in several times from Arizona to help her go
through all of her things and make a new home at a senior living center in
Roseville.
        It was with some risk to reputation and relationship that my
grandparents acted in love toward their neighbors. They were always
willing to take a chance on people, to befriend people who others wouldn’t,
and to reach out to people though acts of loving kindness even before they
had answered all of their own moral questions. Their example made a deep
impression on me in terms of what it means to live out Jesus’ command to
love our neighbor. Besides, they always said, they were the ones who were
blessed by getting to know some truly wonderful people.
        Fully acknowledging my family influence as a starting place, I have
also gone back to do a rigorous study of scripture and science. This research
and reflection has not changed the convictions that were formed by my
family experiences. I admit that it is difficult for me to understand the
perspective of people who see publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous
same gender relationships as sinful, because I have never seen it that way.
        I also know that it must be equally as difficult to understand my point
of view, if, for your whole life, you have believed that homosexuality is a
sin. Many of you have different life experiences and have a different story
to tell with regards to your own journey with understanding homosexuality
and same gender relationships.
        This then, is the heart of why the ELCA’s work this week has been so
remarkable. People shared their stories publicly and spoke honestly about
their beliefs and experiences.




                                                                              4
OUR UNITY IS GREATER THAN OUR DIFFERENCES
       The challenge being put to us this week by the Churchwide
Assembly’s actions is to have open and honest conversation about the
diversity of our human sexuality while at the same time committing to not
abandon one another even though we may disagree, to acknowledge that
there is suffering on account of both perspectives and to bear one another’s
burdens. This sounds good in theory but is very difficult to live out in
practice.
       As part of your deliberation, I invite you to read and study the full text
of the ELCA’s newly approved social statement on Human Sexuality. You
will find a link to it on our Trinity website.
       It is my hope that as we have conversations at Trinity about human
sexuality and the ELCA’s actions, we will follow the model of the ELCA
assembly’s guiding assumptions and not the model of the health care town
hall meetings. I am optimistic that we will, because I trust in your
thoughtfulness and intelligence and have experienced this community as
being capable of respecting differences in the midst of difficult
conversations. I want to end by sharing with you the passage from scripture
that Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson read after the sexuality votes were
finished.

                           from Colossians 3:12-17
12
  As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one
another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other;
just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.14Above all,
clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect
harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed
you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with
gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to
God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen.




                                                                                5

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Sexuality Sermon

  • 1. Response to the actions taken regarding human sexuality at the ELCA’s 2009 Churchwide Assembly Siri C. Erickson. TLC. August 22/23, 2009 Mark 12:28-31 28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” INTRO It has been a fascinating week to observe the way communities engage in the difficult work of moral deliberation. I’ve been following two different conversations: the national debate over health care reform at town hall meetings across the country and our ELCA Churchwide Assembly’s work on human sexuality. The behavior of people participating in the health care and sexuality conversations was dramatically different. The health care town hall meetings have been characterized by tactics of organized disruption, disrespect, shouting, and personal attacks. The baseness of the behavior at these meeting was epitomized by the young woman who, at a town hall meeting with Massachusetts representative Barney Frank, compared Obama’s health care policy to the Nazis while holding a poster of the president’s face debased with a Hitler-style mustache. The sexuality debates at the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly here in Minneapolis this week have also had moments of tension and the public speaking of strongly divergent opinions. But the behavior of the Lutheran delegates has been, for the most part, respectful and conducted with a commitment to listening. The Assembly took time to pray and sing together every 20 minutes during the deliberations and actually voted to respect the consciences of one another, to value our unity in Christ in the midst of differences, and to not abandon one another. Watching the ELCA deliberations and contrasting them to that of the health care town hall meetings has made me proud to be a Lutheran. 1
  • 2. OUTCOMES Neither conversation is over. Neither debate is fully resolved. Work on finding solutions for how to expand health care coverage to meet the needs of all Americans is still going on, and we don’t know yet what the outcomes will be. Moral deliberation about articulating a faithful understanding of human sexuality is still ongoing, but the Churchwide Assembly did take some votes that have moved the debate into new territory. The Assembly, made of up pastors and congregational members from Lutheran churches around the country, took some significant actions. In a two-thirds majority vote, the Assembly passed a social statement on Human Sexuality, which includes but is not limited to the following actions: a condemnation of the global sex trade, commodification of the body, and commercialization of sexuality, an affirmation that sexuality is a gift from God and can be expressed in both healthy and loving ways and in ways that harm individuals and society, and an acknowledgment of four different conscience bound approaches to homosexuality and same gender relationships found within our churches. Additionally, the Assembly voted to adopt recommendations to allow congregations who so choose to call gay and lesbian pastors in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous relationships. Whether or not you agree with the actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the sexuality debate raises anew the issue of how we make moral decisions, both as individuals and as communities. TWO APPROACHES to MORAL DELIBERATION This week we have seen two very different approaches to moral deliberation. The path of division, polarization, demonization, and misinformation, as seen in the health care town hall meetings. Or, the commitment to loving the neighbor, respecting the consciences of those who have different opinions, and recognizing that our unity in Jesus is stronger and more important that our disagreements over any particular moral issue, as witnessed to us by the work of the Churchwide Assembly. 2
  • 3. RESPONSIBILITY of LEADERSHIP in MORAL DELIBERATION This is one of those moments in time when I believe that it is my particular responsibility as a leader to both guide and encourage moral deliberation in our community and to speak honestly about my own conscience-bound beliefs. I truly do not know if you feel like Trinity is a place where you could share your honest thoughts, concerns, stories and questions about homosexuality and same gender relationships, but we will never know until some are willing to take the risk of speaking openly and honestly. MY THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES Today, then, I speak on my own behalf and not for other pastors, the congregational council or anyone else. In deciding how to share my own thoughts and experiences, I decided that I needed to be as clear as possible. And so I share this with you, knowing that we will not all agree, that each of us will have a different story to tell, and that there may be some anger, discomfort, and pain for many of you as this conversation continues in the months to come. For me, I cannot think of a single day in my life when I have ever thought that publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same gender relationships were sinful, evil, unnatural, wrong, or against God’s will. To say it positively, throughout my entire life I have always believed in the goodness, beauty, and rightness of two people, regardless of gender, entering into a publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous relationship based on mutual love, friendship, and respect. And I certainly would be proud to serve a church alongside such a person who is a pastor or congregational leader. My story starts with the family. The commitment of my grandma and grandpa Anderson to living out an ethic of generous hospitality and love of neighbor as a matter of deep faith made an early impression on me. My grandfather was a prominent doctor and congregational leader in Owatonna, Minnesota. When the first black family moved to town in the 50s, grandma and grandpa invited them over for dinner and developed a close friendship with their family. When a family of little people moved to town, grandma and grandpa invited them into their home for a meal and enjoyed time with their new friends. 3
  • 4. When a sixth grade teacher came out as gay, grandma and grandpa adopted him into the family. He is one of my grandmother’s best friends to this day. When my grandfather died and my grandma had to move out of her home of 50 years, Ron flew in several times from Arizona to help her go through all of her things and make a new home at a senior living center in Roseville. It was with some risk to reputation and relationship that my grandparents acted in love toward their neighbors. They were always willing to take a chance on people, to befriend people who others wouldn’t, and to reach out to people though acts of loving kindness even before they had answered all of their own moral questions. Their example made a deep impression on me in terms of what it means to live out Jesus’ command to love our neighbor. Besides, they always said, they were the ones who were blessed by getting to know some truly wonderful people. Fully acknowledging my family influence as a starting place, I have also gone back to do a rigorous study of scripture and science. This research and reflection has not changed the convictions that were formed by my family experiences. I admit that it is difficult for me to understand the perspective of people who see publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same gender relationships as sinful, because I have never seen it that way. I also know that it must be equally as difficult to understand my point of view, if, for your whole life, you have believed that homosexuality is a sin. Many of you have different life experiences and have a different story to tell with regards to your own journey with understanding homosexuality and same gender relationships. This then, is the heart of why the ELCA’s work this week has been so remarkable. People shared their stories publicly and spoke honestly about their beliefs and experiences. 4
  • 5. OUR UNITY IS GREATER THAN OUR DIFFERENCES The challenge being put to us this week by the Churchwide Assembly’s actions is to have open and honest conversation about the diversity of our human sexuality while at the same time committing to not abandon one another even though we may disagree, to acknowledge that there is suffering on account of both perspectives and to bear one another’s burdens. This sounds good in theory but is very difficult to live out in practice. As part of your deliberation, I invite you to read and study the full text of the ELCA’s newly approved social statement on Human Sexuality. You will find a link to it on our Trinity website. It is my hope that as we have conversations at Trinity about human sexuality and the ELCA’s actions, we will follow the model of the ELCA assembly’s guiding assumptions and not the model of the health care town hall meetings. I am optimistic that we will, because I trust in your thoughtfulness and intelligence and have experienced this community as being capable of respecting differences in the midst of difficult conversations. I want to end by sharing with you the passage from scripture that Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson read after the sexuality votes were finished. from Colossians 3:12-17 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen. 5