THE ELCA AND GAYS

Majority still rules, and the Spirit still leads

What Bob Lee and Al Quie fail to mention in their Jan. 7 letter about the recent decision of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America about gay and lesbian pastors is that the majority will still rule. That is, no congregation will be forced to call a pastor it deems unfit.

So if Lee's and Quie's reading of majority opinions is correct, nothing will change -- except that now we whose Bible study dictates another opinion (as in "Love is the fulfilling of the law" -- Romans 13:10; and "Do not judge, and you will not be judged" -- Luke 6:37) will have an option we have never had in the ELCA on this issue -- to follow the Bible as we understand it. Isn't it significant that the Gospels record Jesus as saying nothing at all about homosexuality? And we cannot believe that what science has revealed to us about God's creation (including homosexuality) since the Bible was written can simply be ignored.

It is ironic that across the page from Lee's and Quie's letter is a horrible example of literal Biblical interpretation taken to the extreme -- Uganda's desire to put homosexuals to death! Of course these letter writers would not go that far, but then how can they justify any discrimination against gay and lesbian children of God who have suffered so much from others' condemnation of a condition they did not choose?

Since what unites us as Christians is so much greater than what divides us, may we all continue in partnership to spread the good news of the amazing grace of God!

RONALD A. NELSON, MINNEAPOLIS

•••

While I do not agree with the distress of the Jan. 7 letter writers and others over the ELCA's decision, I can understand it, at least some of it. What I cannot understand is how they -- especially former Gov. Al Quie, whom I know to be well informed about the ELCA -- can make a statement such as "most members were caught off guard" by the ELCA's action at its August assembly.

The fact is the ELCA provided much information on the entire range of human sexuality issues. Several studies and response mechanisms were available to congregations and individual members over at least a decade. If people were "caught off guard," it is because either they or their local leaders were not paying attention.

In addition, the two writers object to ELCA Articles of Incorporation that "prevent us from voting." "Prevent" is charged language making it sound like there is a conspiracy designed to exclude members. The ELCA has been in existence under its current governance model since 1988. This model was adopted by congregations, synods and a 1987 churchwide assembly. As is evident, the desire to change the model arises mainly when a decision is made with which these authors disagree.

THE REV. GARY F. ANDERSON, HUGO;

RETIRED ELCA PASTOR

•••

While discussing the ELCA sexuality statement in my mother's rural North Dakota church last summer, a man suggested death for homosexuals. The pastor, a Lutheran CORE proponent, apparently did not challenge the morality of that position. However, after my mother shared the story of her gay son whom he has known all his life, the man was in tears and had changed his mind.

There are millions of ELCA members with LGBT family members and friends who believe the ELCA was Spirit-led last August. As they share their stories, more minds will be changed.

DAVID ANDERSON, MINNEAPOLIS

•••

There is an alternative to ELCA congregations stopping all funding they send to the ELCA: continue to send funds for the many programs of the ELCA that a congregation supports. Those programs may include outreach, starting new congregations, providing congregational resources and global ministries.

Our choice is whether lay people help find a way to move forward or whether we try to obstruct all of the effective programs of the ELCA.

PHIL ROE, MINNEAPOLIS

St. Paul public library

Want to donate books? Read how you can do so

In a Jan. 6 letter, a reader criticized the St. Paul Public Library for not accepting gifts of books like other metropolitan libraries.

In fact, we welcome gifts of materials. Our policy may be found on our website at www.sppl.org/userguide/collection-policy.html#gifts.

SHEREE SAVAGE, COMMUNICATIONS

MANAGER, ST. PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY

SNOW AND ICE

Join in the fun of

trying to remove it all

I tire quickly of the writers who complain about snow and ice removal on city streets and sidewalks.

I suggest they each buy their own shovel and/or ice chipper, then put those tools to use in their neighborhood. It may give them a better appreciation of what city workers have to deal with at a much larger scale.

TIM KLEINPASTE, MINNEAPOLIS

Improved security

Real people sacrifice

to make it happen

My father, a retired FBI agent, is a security guard at the Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas. By the grace of God, he was spared when a man who was angry at the Social Security system opened fire in the courthouse, killing another security guard and a deputy marshall before being killed himself.

For the last several years, the government has been telling us of the improved security measures in and around our country, plans to keep us all safer. I have been very comforted by this until this week. Until Monday, I never gave much thought to what the increased security measures are. Now I realize that people like my father and the two men who lost their lives are keeping us all safer. Before Monday, the term "improved security measures" seemed very abstract. Now it has a very real, human meaning. It is sometimes difficult to remember that brave men and women put their lives on the line everyday so that we can go about our daily lives without having to worry what may happen.

Thank you to those who are working so hard to keep all of us safe and protected.

TASHA HAEFNER, PRIOR LAKE