An Edmond, Okla., church voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to cut ties with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America over the denomination’s liberal direction. Peace Lutheran joins hundreds of other congregations in withdrawing from the ELCA following the body’s vote in 2009 to let non-celibate gays and lesbians serve as clergy.

In a 110-5 vote, Peace Lutheran Church agreed to leave the ELCA – the largest Lutheran denomination in the country with around 4.5 million members. This was the second and final approval needed to leave. The congregation also determined in a separate vote to affiliate with the newly formed conservative body, the North American Lutheran Church.

Peace Lutheran joins hundreds of other congregations in withdrawing from the ELCA following the body’s vote in 2009 to let non-celibate gays and lesbians serve as clergy.
Peace Lutheran Church Council member Jim Smith told the Edmond Sun, “Our reaction was we felt we needed to get back to basic biblical teachings.”

The NALC was formed last year in response to the pro-gay action to provide discontent Lutherans a new home. While homosexuality was a major issue prompting many Lutherans to reconsider their ties with the ELCA, they maintain that the large denomination was also moving away from the authority of Scripture.

Mary Hendrickson of Peace Lutheran stated on Facebook, “It was also the departure of the authority of scriptures and basic Lutheran and Christian truths and values that brought Peace to the decision to vote to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church synod.”

If accepted by the NALC, Peace Lutheran will officially become a member of the conservative denomination on July 1.

This year, the NALC is preparing to elect a new bishop during its August convocation to serve a four-year term. Currently, Bishop Paull Spring, 72, is leading the body but said he will not be available for reelection.

Lutherans are not the only mainline Protestants experiencing divisions.
Presbyterian congregations are mulling a decision to leave the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) following an approval this month to open ordination to partnered homosexuals.

Read More: http://www.christianpost.com/news/okla-church-votes-to-leave-elca-50264/