Biblical language for God – including the word Lord and the Triune name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, – was removed from parts of liturgies…including options for the Lord’s Prayer that included calling God “Mother” rather than “Our Father.”

Services receiving persons in same-sex relationships as Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastors have included attacks on the “bound consciences” of those who uphold Biblical teaching on sexual behavior.

Even though the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly committed the ELCA to “respect the bound consciences of all,” recent worship services receiving the new ELCA pastors have included “confessions” stating that holding the traditional teaching of the Christian Church on sexual ethics is sinful.

ELCA officials claim that holding a traditional understanding of Biblical teaching on homosexual behavior is still an acceptable perspective within the church body. If so, these synod services do not show respect for the “bound consciences” of those who hold what the ELCA claims is a recognized and faithful perspective on Scripture.

In leading or authorizing these “confessions,” ELCA synod leaders imply that they believe that those who uphold traditional Christian teaching are persisting in “sin” and in need of correction.

The Sept. 18 “Rite of Reception” service of the St. Paul (Minn.) Area Synod opened with the Rev. Herbert Chilstrom, former presiding bishop of the ELCA, leading the congregation in a “confession” that recounted the sins of the ELCA regarding its former teaching and practice about same-sex sexual relationships. Chilstrom has been a longtime vocal advocate of change in ELCA teaching and policy.

Video of the services is available online. Internet links to the services are provided on Lutheran CORE’s blog.

Read More: http://www.layman.org/news.aspx?article=27771

[Editor’s note: The original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]