Kairos_News : Message: ELCA Bishop Censures, Admonishes Minneapolis Congregation

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 24, 2004

ELCA Bishop Censures, Admonishes Minneapolis Congregation

04-179-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Craig E. Johnson, bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), sent a letter "of censure and admonition" to Bethany Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, for its decision to call and ordain a person who was not eligible to serve as a pastor in the ELCA.

Jay A. Wiesner was ordained July 25 and installed as Bethany's associate pastor Aug. 1, according to the congregation's Web site. He had been serving for about two years at Bethany as pastoral minister for outreach. Wiesner is gay and was ordained "in direct conflict with official ELCA policies,"

according to the Web site.

In his letter to the congregation, Johnson said he would postpone any disciplinary action against the congregation until the ELCA completes its decision-making process on two key issues:

the possible ordination of people who are gay or lesbian and in committed relationships, and whether there should be a rite for the blessing of same-gender relationships. Decisions on these matters are expected to be made by voting members at the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, Fla.

Johnson said he was censuring and admonishing the congregation with "sadness" and after much prayer and listening.

He reminded the congregation of a "covenant" between the ELCA and its congregations. In particular, Johnson cited the ELCA Constitution and Bylaws, in which congregations "agree to call pastoral leadership from the clergy roster of this church in accordance with the call procedures of this church except in special circumstances and with the approval of the synodical bishop."

"Bethany Lutheran Church after debate, discussion and vote willfully disregarded this critical accord of congregational life in the ELCA," Johnson wrote. He noted that he had asked the congregation to postpone calling and ordaining Wiesner at least until after the 2005 assembly had acted.

"You pre-empted the ELCA's process by your decision," he said. "This has put ordained leaders in our synod and the larger church in a difficult position with their congregations. You have broken an important and vital covenant with your fellow congregations."

Congregations do not have "sole authority and responsibility to ordain a leader," Johnson said. Ordination is a "shared responsibility" between congregations and the wider church, he said, adding that "this understanding of call and ordination is, for us, a significant and central unity of theology and mission within our church."

Johnson said he and his staff would have helped the congregation locate ordained candidates "regardless of sexual orientation," provided those candidates were living within the ELCA's clergy standards.

Despite the congregation's action to call and ordain Wiesner, Johnson said he and his staff wanted to "be respectful and gracious" in responding, and said he was aware of his responsibility to uphold the policies and constitution of the ELCA. Johnson said he would postpone any further disciplinary action until after the "discernment" process of the church is completed.

"I believe this is the most prudent and appropriate action available to me during our church's discernment process," Johnson said.

"Much of my sadness is because Bethany is a congregation serious about its mission, in partnership with others and generous with its building -- especially to the Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Church," he said. "Your action has particularly been a strain on the Oromo Lutheran Church."

Oromo Lutheran Church's members are recent immigrants from the horn of Africa, most notably Ethiopia, according to the congregation's Web site.

Johnson said he desired that the church remain true to the gospel by remembering the poor and spreading the "Good News" of Jesus Christ.

Johnson concluded by citing a verse in Ephesians chapter 4 of the New Testament. "I pray that we will heed Paul's words: '.

making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.'"

Congregation Expected Censure, Says Pastor

The Rev. Steven R. Benson, pastor of the 102 year-old Bethany Lutheran Church, said the congregation expected a response and reprimand from Johnson. The congregation and Johnson had been in regular communication with each other for some time, Benson said.

Congregational leaders don't agree with everything Johnson described in his letter, Benson said, but for now the congregation is ready to "let it be."

"We think maybe it is counterproductive to issue a formal response and get into a debate," Benson said.

Benson suggested that the congregation's decision to call and ordain Wiesner was "an expression of faith." People in the gay community are often subjected to bigotry and many attempt suicide, he said.

"We felt we could be complicit in the 'crime' by our silence," Benson said. "We felt there are lives at stake. This needs to be a public proclamation of wholeness and healing."

Many in the congregation knew Johnson could have taken harsher disciplinary action against Bethany, Benson said. He said Johnson's explanation, outlined in the letter, appears to represent a "healthy compromise."

"There is some sadness that our church is in a state of engagement in this kind of struggle," Benson said.

Benson also said the congregation's relationship with Oromo Lutheran Church has many complexities, though he added that Bethany's relationships with longstanding Oromo members are good.

For now, the congregation is most concerned about its neighborhood ministry, Benson said. "The next step for us is engaging in our mission and ministry in the city, and to maintain dialogue with the church-at-large on these issues," and to minimize "polarization," Benson added.

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Information about Bethany Lutheran Church, including Jay Wiesner, is at http://bethanyinseward.home.att.net/ on the Web.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@... http://www.elca.org/news