Even though we ELCA Lutherans have been intentionally engaging one another in conversations about human sexuality lo these last seven or eight years, in a lot of ways, in a lot of congregations, it's still the giant elephant in the room that many are trying to ignore and are hoping against hope will just go away on its own.
This year we are finally, fully facing the elephant. Today the ELCA released the final draft of the sexuality statment, Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, which is to be voted upon at the churchwide assembly this coming August. They also released the policy recommendations of the Task Force that has been working this statement and all the study leading up to it. For the curious, you can find links to download both of them here.
I only had time to skim part of the policy recommendations today, but my initial thoughts are that they are a) very Lutheran, and b) the best possible recommendations for us to move forward as a church lacking consensus on this matter. More detailed thoughts on this and the statement itself yet to come, as I have time to read and process it more thoroughly (why do they keep releasing this stuff right before a major holy day???), but for now, I send you to the ever thoughtful reflections of my friend Choral Girl.
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