Taking a brave stand

Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, Minn.: It isn’t much of a shocker that most of Minnesota’s liberal Lutheran synods oppose a marriage amendment banning same-sex marriage. That’s not far afield from the progressive stance on gay and lesbian issues of the larger denomination — the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

But last week’s 400-169 vote to oppose the marriage amendment by the policymaking body of Minnesota’s United Methodists stands in marked contrast to the more conservative stance of their denomination. The United Methodist Book of Discipline says “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

Last month, the denomination’s General Conference — its governing body — reaffirmed that teaching and declined to vote on same-sex marriage or whether to ordain gay and lesbian clergy. The ELCA, on the other hand, made headlines in 2009 when it decided to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy.

The 4.5-million-member ELCA is the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination, and the United Methodist Church (7.8 million) is the biggest Methodist body, with more than 70,000 Minnesota members.

United Methodists do not officially sanction ceremonies to bless same-sex unions, while the ELCA says that congregations may offer ways to “recognize, support and hold accountable lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.”