ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 15, 2005

ELCA Council Sets New Timeline For Statement On Sexuality In 2009
05-070-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) is developing a social statement on human sexuality.  The
ELCA Church Council approved a request from the task force for
the ELCA Studies on Sexuality to extend the timeline for
completion of a proposed statement from 2007 until 2009.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and
serves as the legislative authority of the church between
churchwide assemblies.  The council met here April 9-11.
Assemblies are held every other year; the next is Aug. 8-14,
in Orlando, Fla.
     The Rev. James M. Childs Jr., director, ELCA Studies on
Sexuality, told the council that the 14-member task force had
focused so much of its first three years of work on developing
the report and recommendations it released Jan. 13 that it did
not have enough time to do "an appropriate job" of developing a
proposed social statement.  The statement "requires our best
efforts and the time to exert them," he said.
     Under the previous timeline the task force would need to
review initial drafts of the proposed social statement at its
next meeting in September.  A first draft of the social statement
was to be available for discussions and hearings beginning in
January 2006, and the proposed social statement was to be
released in January 2007 in advance of the 2007 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly.
     Since the task force was assembled in May 2002, it developed
two study documents -- "Journey Together Faithfully: Part I"
(Sexuality: Some Common Convictions) and" Journey Together
Faithfully: Part ll" (The Church and Homosexuality).
     The new timeline directed the task force to develop "Journey
Together Faithfully: Part III" (JTF III).
     The council's action said JTF III "would be biblically and
theologically based and explore prior basic questions and
concerns: the theology of Creation, the stewardship of wisdom,
the wisdom of the Christian tradition, discipleship, healthy
practices, love of neighbor."  The new study would include
"material related to key questions vital to the ELCA's witness
and ministry in the area of sexuality, focusing on such matters
as sexual abuse, marriage and family, widowed older adults and
singles," it said.
     In a memo to the council, task members said, "We have
learned from the work we have already done how vital it is to dig
deeply into the reality with which we are dealing."  They wrote,
"There are particularly strong concerns being voiced in our
church for the well being of marriage and the nurture of our
youth."
     "We want to revitalize our biblically based Christian
witness to core values of human sexuality in our contemporary
culture . a culture of sexuality given to the idolatries of
economics, consumerism and power often objectifying persons as
though they were commodities to be bought or traded," the task
force said.
     According to the new timeline, in fall 2006 the task force
will publish JTF III as the "primary study document" for the
statement.  ELCA members will be encouraged to participate in the
study process until fall 2007 and send their responses to the
task force.
     The task force is to develop a first draft of the social
statement based on all three studies.  The first draft will be
"widely distributed for study and response" in January 2008.
     The proposed social statement will be issued in January
2009.  The ELCA Churchwide Assembly will receive it in August
2009 "for action, including implementing resolutions for
production of educational material related to issues raised in
the social statement and possible additional 'satellite'
documents (e.g. messages, social policy resolutions or other
documents)," the new timeline said.
     The task force's request for a new timeline included the
possibility of producing materials beyond the social statement
especially to address the specific needs of pastors, parents and
youth.
     The request also noted that task force members agreed
initially to serve until the 2007 Churchwide Assembly.  Those
members will continue to work on developing JTF III.  "Some
members of the current task force may continue to serve until
2009, while others would retire and new persons be appointed,"
the task force said.
     Between the 2007 and 2009 assemblies, the task force will
receive responses to JTF III and develop both drafts of the
proposed social statement on human sexuality, according to the
new timeline.
-- -- --
     Information about the Studies on Sexuality is at
http://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news