Lutheran group approves reinstatement of gay pastor

• Print
• E-mail

A pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church has been approved for reinstatement to the clergy roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, years after being removed because of his same-sex relationship.

“I’m elated to be back on the roster of the church that I love and that I felt called to serve in,” the Rev. Bradley Schmeling said. “I feel like one of the stones of injustice has been rolled away from the doors of the ministry for so many who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered.”

The candidacy committee of the ELCA Southeastern Synod met last month and approved the request for reinstatement, according to the ELCA News Service.

The nation’s largest Lutheran denomination removed Schmeling, now 47,  from its list of approved pastors in 2007. St. John’s, however, retained him as pastor and no action was taken against the church. Schmeling’s partner, the Rev. Darin Easler, was also approved for reinstatement by the ELCA’s Southeastern Minnesota Synod.

The two have lived together since 2005.

“I’m just so very grateful that I have the opportunity to come back to my church home and what I consider my faith family,” said Easler.

The process still requires some formalities and paperwork before reinstatements become official. Easler works in chaplaincy and in hospice care in metro Atlanta.

Last year, the ELCA said churches could hire pastors in publicly-accountable, monogamous same-sex relationships. Previously, it allowed gay pastors, but only if they were celibate.

The issue of gays in the pulpit created divisions within the denomination. Some members left congregations and some congregations left the ELCA.

The ELCA Southeastern Synod, for example, lost four of its 107 congregations, said Bishop H. Julian Gordy. Overall, about 200 congregations have left the ELCA over the issue, he said. The ELCA has nearly 5 million members and over 10,000 congregations.

Mark Chavez, director of Lutheran CORE, which is based in Minnesota, criticized the action. The ELCA “keeps taking steps away from the Christian church and the Lutheran church and denies its own confession of faith that says the Bible is the authoritative source and norm for our preaching, teaching and practice.”

Chavez said Schmeling would be welcome as pastor if he were celibate, but “not as long as he is living in a relationship that the Bible clearly says is off limits.”

Will others in the Southeastern Synod leave because of the reinstatements? Perhaps.

“It concerns me. I hope that everyone can stay on the ship and work through this disagreement,” said Gordy, who became bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Synod in 2007, shortly after Schmeling was removed from the roster. But he added, “That’s probably too much to hope.”

Schmeling, he said, “has been a very fine pastor in that congregation and has served them well.”

It may be hard to find any disagreement on that point at St. John’s.

“We always considered the call to be valid,” said Ann Gerondelis , who has been a member of the congregation since 1981. “We’re excited to be part of the ELCA at this time because it’s a church body that really quite courageously flung open the door to welcome all of God’s people.”

Barbara Arne, who serves on the church council, was chairwoman of the call committee when Schmeling was asked to become pastor of St. John’s.

“It became clear in the process that he was called by God to serve as parish pastor,” she said. “I hope that this sends a message that all are welcome in the church.”