Lutherans to talk gender, sexuality recommendations at summer convention

Notes: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) will discuss at its [special] convention this summer [2023] a set of recommendations on gender and sexuality including one asking that it discern a position on polyamory ... The recommendations come from the ELCIC task force on homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, formed after the Lutherans' national meeting in 2019 commissioned groups to work on diversity, equity and inclusion for issues of gender and sexuality, racism and ableism" (p. 1). The Rev. Steve Hoffard is co-chair of the task force.; "Approved in 2011, the ELCIC's 'Social Statement on Human Sexuality' lays out what it sees as the cultural realities surrounding marriage, family and sexuality and the church's own position on these things, in places acknowledging conflicting views in the church on same-sex marriage" (p. 2).; "In February [2023], Susan Johnson, national bishop of the ELCIC, issued a pastoral letter announcing that an ELCIC court had upheld an appeal on one such case [of polyamory]. A member of the clergy, who is not named in the letter or the summary of the decision, had been suspended from the roster of pastors for being involved in what Johnson in her letter called 'a self-defined polyamorous relationship'" (p. 2).; "This article's original headline has been changed at the direction of General Synod senior management".

Subjects: Sex - Religious aspects - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada - Clergy - Sexual behavior; Polyamory - Religious aspects - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada; Marriage - Religious aspects - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada