Evangelical Lutherans renew mission but veto same-sex blessings

Bishop-elect Susan Johnson in favour of the motion

WINNIPEG, MB—At its 11th biennial convention in Winnipeg, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) agreed to several important decisions, including electing a new bishop and voting against same-sex blessings.

The church renewed its commitment to its founding documents which they renamed "Mission for Others."

"This reaffirms the church's theological foundation for the coming decade," says out-going national Bishop Ray Shultz.

The ELCIC also voted against the possibility of blessing same-sex unions in a secret ballot (200-181), held a day before Canada's Anglican church held a similar vote. The debate for the ECIC echoed the same concerns between liberal and conservative Anglicans, who were holding their synod in the same city and had begun discussion around the same time.

Newly-elected ELCIC national bishop Susan Johnson says she supports same-sex unions. "The stress this puts our church under points to healing."

As assistant to the Bishop of Eastern Synod, Johnson is described as a strong leader and says her gifts are "joy" and her "relationship with God."

"I think that you are indeed blessed with a very strong person of conviction," says the new Anglican primate, Fred Hiltz. Johnson will assume responsibilities September 1.

The ELCIC also introduced a Stewardship of Creation initiative that encourages local churches to implement "green strategies," such as installing geo-thermal heating. An accreditation process is in the works for spring of 2008 for churches wanting to be recognized as "green congregations."

Heading up the initiative is Ryan Andersen, assistant to the Bishop for Stewardship in Public Life.

"Instead of just saying 'Here are a bunch of policies' we are asking 'How can you engage the issues?'" says Andersen. He hopes individuals in churches will take the lead.

"What it means is that we're going to be more self-disciplined as a community of church members across Canada to attend to these issues and to develop the kind of practices that will give us a credible voice," says Shultz. "We're expecting that, by engaging the church beginning with grassroots congregational members, this will heighten awareness so that at regional conferences and synod conventions initiatives will begin to arise."

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination with 174,555 baptized members in 620 congregations.

(with files from ELCIC)