ELCA Bishop files Charges against Atlanta Pastor

[revtj]

[andrewlittle]

The last report I saw said that the committee/hearing members were seen leaving their hotel individually. That was yesterday. Any news?

[nmwolfboy]

i've been checking both the Lutherans Concerned website as well as St. John's for updates. So far, there's nothing beyond the end of the trial. Apparently, the court has 15 days to issue their determination.

[revtj]

Just rec'd an email from Brad. He says the committee seemed sympathetic but he is not sure if they will render a prophetic judgement. He is awaiting results surrounded by all this love & prayer...

pastorbrad@mindspring.com


tj

[dsdrane]

Pastor Brad and St. John's church continue to be in my prayers.

Please, please, please let the ELCA get this one right.

[scorpiogirl]

Having been raised in an ELCA Lutheran church hearing about all of this hurts very much. I hope things work out for him.

[glbt_equality]

What's the news? Do we have any word back yet? Have I missed the "verdict?"

My hopes and prayers remain with everyone involved.

[suzer1013]

I thought a decision was supposed to be in today. Anyone heard anything?

Susan

[revtj]

I just called the church & they said no decision has been communicated to them as of yet.

Watch and pray.

[kara speltz]

Originally Posted by revtj

I just called the church & they said no decision has been communicated to them as of yet.

Watch and pray.ray:

One of my favorite Taize hymns is "Stay here and keep watch with me." We often would sing that to the bishops outside of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Needless to say, only a small handful would even acknowledge us let alone stay and pray with us

Michael Adee, head of More Light Presbyterians recently spoke as clearly as anyone I've heard about the state of affairs within the various church denominations. He wrote, "Heterosexual persons cannot, should not, claim a special place or design with God, in my view, any more than whites or men should. Either all of us are created in the image of God, unconditionally loved and embraced by God, or none of us are. I happen to believe that all of us are equally created, loved and embraced by God, no matter the human difference or condition. "

Some day, a place for us..................

Kara

[revtj]

The Decision has been rendered just recently!!! It's not as bad as it could've been and has the potential to be fabulous for the ELCA. Here is a quote from the decision:

The committee has called for the ELCA to remove the policy through both the church’s highest judicial and legislative bodies, Committee on Appeals and the Churchwide Assembly. And the committee has delayed removing Pastor Bradley until after the 2007 Churchwide Assembly (which meets August 6-12, 2007, in Chicago).

You can go to St Johns of Atlanta to view more here

http://www.stjohnsatlanta.org/trialupdate.html

If I understand it correctly (and nobody hates churchspeak more than I do!) it is saying the policy that would remove Brad itself is being set aside and the committee will argue later this year before the national body to do away with the policy altogether.

So Brad can wear that frock awhile longer!

[dsdrane]

Excellent news!

[suzer1013]

OMG!!! I am, frankly, breathless and taken aback with delight! I never expected such a good outcome. Wow -- the ELCA seems to be on the right track. I needed a bit of good news today, and this is it!

Thanks for passing it along, TJ!

Susan

[revtj]

frock The Casbah!

[keltic63]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/020807pastor.htm

I'm confused. 365gay is saying that he is defrocked.....

[scorpiogirl]

YAY!!!!!!! Sounds like the ELCA is headed in the right direction.

[scorpiogirl]

Originally Posted by keltic63

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/020807pastor.htm

I'm confused. 365gay is saying that he is defrocked.....

Now I'm confused too.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...8N5NKN84.shtml

[scorpiogirl]

Here's another article:

http://www.newyorkblade.com/thelates...?blog_id=11243

Now I'm really angry.

[andrewlittle]

Yes, the news reports are, perhaps, more confusing than the actual decision. Shows the inadequacies of "soundbyte" reporting.

The decision of the committee is:

It is the decision of this discipline hearing committee that the Rev. Bradley E. Schmeling be removed from the clergy roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, effective August 15, 2007.

This was because 7 of the 12 committee members believed that Brad's relationship violates documents that are NOW considered church law.

The date is significant, however, because they have also essentially petitioned for changing the extra-constitutional documents to remove the ban. The ban itself is not found in the constitution, just in additional denominational regulations. The effective date of "defrocking" allows for the national Assembly to deal with their request before it goes into effect.

It's not an acquittal, but it does call for removal of the biased regulation before the sentence is imposed, thereby nullifying the censure.

The entire decision can be read at: http://www.stjohnsatlanta.org/files/...20Decision.pdf

[suzer1013]

Ugh. The news reports are already putting "spin" on this. The 365gay story was completely wrong -- did they even read the decision?

I thought it was a remarkable decision. The committee seems near unanimous in declaring that the rules are wrong, and that the next national Assembly should overturn the rule about the ban on ordination for persons in committed same-sex relationships. I was overjoyed by that language in the decision. It was such a distinct difference from the UMC's decision in the Beth Stroud case.

This gives me hope that the ELCA might do the right thing, and Pastor Schmeling may keep his ministry! I really expected a much worse decision than this one, so I rejoice at the HOPE this provides!

Susan