ORDINATION OF PERSONS REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION

WHEREAS:     We as Lutheran Christians are called toe the ministry of reconciliation; and

WHEREAS:     We hold central to our faith the affirmation of St. Paul that; “There is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by His blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:22b); and

WHEREAS:     The Lutheran churches currently have no uniform practice that they are consistently following regarding the ordination of all qualified men and women regardless of sexual orientation; and

WHEREAS:     The denial of the right of any person to make comprehensive use of their God-given talents and spiritual gifts in the life of the church, regardless of their sexual orientation, is limiting to the church as a whole; and

WHEREAS:     The Lutheran Student Movement-USA has gone on record as urging the full participation of all people in the worship and service of the church (1973, 1977) regardless of sexual orientation; and

WHEREAS:     The North Central Region of the Lutheran Student Movement has gone on record as supporting the ordination of all qualified ministerial candidates, regardless of sexual orientation (1982);

THEREFORE, Be it resolved that the Lutheran Student Movement-USA go on record as supporting the ordination of all qualified ministerial candidates, regardless of sexual orientation; and

Be it further resolved that the Lutheran Student Movement-USA requests, by letter to the presiding leaders of the Lutheran churches in the United States, that they review and amend policies as well as examine practices in order to eliminate prejudiced behavior.

Sponsored by LSM-NCR at regional assembly.