Title: ELCA Synod to Censure Congregation in Saint Paul, Minnesota
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 14, 2001

ELCA SYNOD TO CENSURE CONGREGATION IN SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
01-163-FI/EH*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- On Sept. 1, the Saint Paul Area Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will place St. Paul-
Reformation Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn., under "public censure and
admonition for willfully violating the ELCA Constitution," unless the
church changes its standards for ordination before that date.  The
congregation called and ordained a woman who was not approved for
ordination by the ELCA.
     The Rev.  Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the ELCA Saint Paul Area
Synod, issued the censure June 12 with the support of the synod's
council.  The ELCA's 10,851 congregations are organized into 65 synods,
each synod headed by a bishop.
     St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church extended a call to Anita C.
Hill to serve the congregation as an ordained minister.  She has served
several years as a lay minister for the congregation and received a
master of divinity degree in 2000 from United Theological Seminary of
the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minn.
     The congregation of about 650 baptized members ordained Hill in a
ceremony April 28.  A key participant in the ordination, the Rev. Paul
W. Egertson, will resign July 31 as bishop of the ELCA Southern
California (West) Synod as an outcome of his involvement.
     Hill is not in compliance with ELCA policies that require pastors
to refrain from homosexual sexual relationships.  Hill is a lesbian in a
committed relationship with another woman.
     "For the past several months our synod has engaged in prayer,
public conversation, assembly debate and an online meeting," Hanson
began the notice of censure.  "One question among many before our synod
is, 'What is an appropriate response to the actions of St. Paul-
Reformation Lutheran Church in calling and ordaining Anita Hill?'
     "As bishop I have sought to find a response that might be faithful
to Scripture, the Confessions and our governing documents, while also
recognizing the need for bold witness and creative ministry as we
proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in our growing and increasingly
diverse metropolitan community.  I am mindful that these decisions hold
the potential for greater healing and for deeper division within the
synod and the ELCA.
     "As bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod I am exercising my
constitutional prerogative to publicly censure and admonish St. Paul-
Reformation Lutheran Church, St. Paul, for willfully violating the
constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America by calling
and ordaining Anita Hill.  I do so with full knowledge that Anita Hill
is not rostered as a pastor in the ELCA and will not be as long as she
is not in compliance with the ELCA's standards for ordination," wrote
Hanson.
     The notice included specific references to points in the ELCA
Constitution that the synod said the congregation violated.  It also
explained the consequences of censure and the rationale for the decision
to censure the congregation.
     Among the consequences, members of the congregation will not be
allowed to serve in positions of synod leadership.  It does not exclude
the congregation from working with other ELCA congregations in urban
ministry nor from the ELCA's conversations about ministry with gay and
lesbian people.  St. Paul-Reformation remains a congregation of the
ELCA.
     The censure goes into effect Sept. 1, unless the ELCA Churchwide
Assembly in August "would remove the necessity for such censure," said
the notice.  "The censure remains in effect until St. Paul-Reformation
conforms to the constitutional requirements of the ELCA or until the
ELCA changes its requirements regarding rostered persons," it added.
     In a June 13 news release, Hanson said, "It distresses me that the
congregation has risked undermining its relationship with the ELCA, even
though congregational leaders have repeatedly spoken of their desire to
remain in the ELCA.  The congregation's actions threaten the ELCA's
unity and sense of common mission."
     "I do not suggest that any person by virtue of sexual orientation
stands outside the bounds of God's grace and mercy given in Jesus
Christ.  My response of censure and admonition is not directed at gay
and lesbian persons, but comes because of the action of the congregation
which has disregarded our agreements in the ELCA," said Hanson.
     "We are grateful for the fact that our relationship with the ELCA
is not changed," said the Rev.  Paul A. Tidemann, St. Paul-Reformation
Lutheran Church.  "We remain continually frustrated over the fact that
the ELCA appears to value rules (on gay and lesbian ordination) which to
us seem unjust and contrary to the gospel."
     "We -- St. Paul-Reformation -- are relieved that our partnership
with the ELCA will continue.  We are disappointed with this action,"
said Hill.
     "Our bishop has determined that we broke the rules," said Hill.
"We did break the rules -- thoughtfully, prayerfully and reluctantly."
     The congregation feels the ELCA is acting inconsistently with its
own emphasis on the full participation of all people, regardless of
their sexual orientation, said Hill.  "For us, it's a matter of
justice."
     The ELCA "Definition and Guidelines for Discipline of Ordained
Ministers" states: "Practicing homosexual persons are precluded from the
ordained ministry of this church."  The church'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 ELCA's 1999 Churchwide Assembly denied a motion to suspend
enforcement of these standards.  A second motion, asking the ELCA
Division for Ministry and the Conference of Bishops to propose
strategies leading to the removal of these standards, was also defeated.
     With the support of the synod council, St. Paul-Reformation
attempted but failed  to secure an exception to those standards for
Hill.  In 2000 the synod council petitioned the church to amend "Vision
and Expectations," so the Conference of Bishops could grant exceptions
to the ELCA standards for ordained ministers.
     The Saint Paul Area Synod Assembly has placed a motion before the
ELCA's 2001 Churchwide Assembly to amend "Vision and Expectations" to
allow for homosexual ministers in committed relationships, to delete the
precluding sentence from "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline" and
to let bishops consider exceptions to the standards until the
recommended changes go into effect.
     Tidemann said, "We are grateful that the synod's action is
consistent with the resolution of the synod assembly passed in April."
He said he appreciated that the effective date of the censure is set for
after the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, indicating an awareness -- if not a
hope -- that the church could change its policies.
     Hill will be a lay voting member of the Churchwide Assembly in
Indianapolis, said Tidemann.
     Tidemann said Hill's ordination was not a "congregationalist"
action -- a declaration of independence.  "For 118 years, we have been a
congregation that sees itself as connected to others, in this case, to
the ELCA," he said.  "We want to be clear we did everything we could to
ordain Anita Hill in the ELCA."
     Hill has been a member of the St. Paul-Reformation staff since
1983, said Tidemann.  "After 18 years, after every door was closed, we
felt we couldn't wait any more."

[*Elizabeth S. Helgen is communication director for the Saint Paul
Area Synod.]

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