Presbyterian official tells Lutheran board about ordination standard The Layman Online from news sources Thursday, November 4, 1999 CHICAGO – A Presbyterian official told leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that the Presbyterian Church (USA) allows disagreement but not defiance of the PCUSA's "fidelity/chastity" ordination standard. Zane K. Buxton, manager of judicial process of the Office of the Stated Clerk, spoke recently to members of the board of the Lutherans' Division of Ministry. The Lutherans are studying issues relating to homosexuality, including the possibility of ordaining gays and lesbians. Meanwhile, as Lutherans study the issue, members of University Lutheran Chapel recently voted unanimously to call a homosexual whose ordination in 1990 was ruled irregular. Sierra Pacific Synod Bishop Robert Mattheis told The Lutheran magazine that he had returned the letter of call and that he will not authorize the installation of Jeff Johnson as pastor of University Lutheran Chapel. In 1990, Johnson and two lesbians were irregularly ordained by First United and St. Francis Lutheran churches. Both congregations were expelled from the denomination in 1995. For the members of the board of the Division of Ministry, Buxton provided a brief history of the PCUSA's consideration of the issue. The Presbyterian General Assembly of 1970 affirmed by a nine-vote margin that "the practice of homosexuality is sin," he said. He said the 1978 Assembly added, "Our present understanding of God's will precludes the ordination of persons who do not repent of homosexual practice." Buxton concluded that for the PCUSA church membership for gay and lesbian people is appropriate, but that ordination is not – although celibacy is an option. He also said protection of civil rights is appropriate, while homophobia is not. The Lutherans' "Definition and Guidelines for Discipline of Ordained Ministers" states: "Practicing homosexual persons are precluded from the ordained ministry of this church." The denomination's "Vision and Expectations" states: "Ordained and commissioned ministers who are homosexual in their self-understanding are expected to abstain from homosexual sexual relationships." The denomination's 1999 Churchwide Assembly denied a motion to suspend enforcement of the Lutheran standards. A second motion, asking the Division for Ministry and the ELCA Conference of Bishops to propose strategies leading to the removal of these standards, was also defeated. A previous meeting of the division's board proposed that it hear reports from representatives of church bodies with which the ELCA has a relationship of full communion to learn how they have dealt with the possible ordination of gay and lesbian members. At its recent meeting the board proposed that a member of the United Church of Christ (UCC) be invited to its next meeting. The UCC's 204 regional associations set their own policies and standards for ordination and several have ordained openly gay or lesbian people.

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