The ELCA recently has been making the news concerning the installation of 11 ministers (8 in California, 3 in Minnesota) who are in committed, same-sex relationships. What is most upsetting about these worship services led by ELCA bishops is the content of the service's liturgy. The following website links are for your education...please let me know what you think.
The first website is our national ELCA website. If you haven't spent much time on it I suggest that you do so. Specifically, I would call your attention to the front-page news that boasts about the rite of reception given for the 3 individuals in Minnesota. Here is that link>> http://www.elca.org/
If you follow the prompt on the right side of the homepage entitled, "ELCA NEWS", the second item is the message from the ELCA regarding this ceremony.
And if you get this far...you can tap into the church's website that held the ceremony for your very own 'replay' of the event.
http://www.stpaulref.org/
Here is a copy of the "Rite of Reception" Service...Troubling content that includes prayers to "Mother Sophia, dwelling from the depths within us".
http://www.welcomeministry.org/RiteofReceptionJULY252010.pdf
Now I didn't get on CNN when I got ordained but these three did...
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/09/19/dnt.lutheran.lesbian.pastors.KARE?iref=allsearch
The most troubling aspect of these events is not so much the reception/ordination of openly gay members of the clergy, but the blatant abuse of God's name or the invoking of other God's...either way, it is very troubling.
Food for thought.
Pastor Phil
No comments:
Post a Comment