The ELCA released its draft statement on sexuality two days ago. It was published to great anticipation. I read it the day before it was released to the public. (Rostered staff got it 24 hours early.)
The night it was released I watched the report on the 10pm news. WCCO totally blew the coverage.
First of all, the Minneapolis Area Synod's Bishop's name is Craig Johnson, not Craig Robinson. (If you can't get at least that little part right, how do we trust any else of what you're going to say?)
They interviewed a member of Central Lutheran Church who is gay who claimed that this was a "sad" day for the church. They interviewed a member of the Word Alone Network, who claimed that this was a "sad" day for the church.
They didn't interview anyone who represented the 90% of people in the "middle" of the debate. Why not? Well, I suppose we're not as interesting. We are also the people with the questions, not the answers...not the emphatic emotion.
Lutherans are known for their wishy-washy answers...the middle ground... Certainly the draft on the sexuality statement fits us then. It is planted firmly in the middle. But it calls for unity. It calls for conversation. It calls for debate. It calls for respect. Shouldn't that be what we're about? To be honest, I'm not completely sure what I think yet. I understand the Biblical and confessional arguments. I understand the social justice arguments. I am conflicted.
So is my church.
The statement is a call to be conflicted together. Theology is messy and sometimes painful. It is muddy. Often though, the Holy Spirit works in the mess, the pain and the mud.
If anyone out there reads this, I'd love your help in working this out.
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