News
2007-07-27
Lutheran pastor
calls for removal of celibacy requirement for gay
clergy
Lutheran pastor
champions gay clergy
Lutheran pastor
Wayn
Lutheran pastor
Wayne Miller of Aurora, Ill., who will soon become bishop
of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, is calling for his
denomination to remove a celibacy requirement for gay
and lesbian clergy, reports the ChicagoSun-Times. "That's where I think the church is
going," said Miller. "That's where I think it needs to go."
Miller is hoping
the change could come as early as next month in Chicago,
where the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is
scheduled to conduct its churchwide assembly. Nearly a
third of the denomination's 65 synods are asking for a
policy change in clergy standards.
Homosexuality is a debated issue at mainline
church conventions. The ELCA has adopted a compromise
position, allowing gay and lesbian clergy to serve as
long as they remain celibate. Heterosexual clergy, however,
are not subject to the celibacy requirement if
they are married, a right gay clergy don't have.
As reported by the Sun-Times, more than
1,000 voting church members are expected at the August
6–11 assembly at Navy Pier. If the rules for
gay clergy aren't altered, Miller acknowledges he'll
experience conflict between his personal beliefs and
his vows as bishop.
"That is the dilemma of a bishop at this
particular moment in history," he said. (The
Advocate)
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