NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. -- A decision by the country's largest Lutheran denomination to allow gay pastors to serve as clergy is leading an opposition group to try to form an alternate Lutheran church body.
Leaders of Lutheran CORE said at a news conference Wednesday that they disagree with this August's decision on gay pastors by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They say they have heard from congregations and church-goers from around the country who feel the same way.
"We are only announcing this because we've had so many congregations coming to us and speaking with us over the past couple months and asking us to form a new church body," said Ryan Schwarz, a member of Lutheran CORE.
Lutheran CORE is a group within ELCA that has opposed letting gay pastors serve. They say it contradicts Scripture.
Some ELCA pastors are disappointed with the announcement.
"I wasn't surprised by it, but I'm also quite saddened by it," said Anita Hill, a pastor at St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church who's in a committed, same-sex relationship.
She has a message for congregations that might leave the ELCA: "My hope would be that those who hold views that seem to be so different from my own would take the time for us to know one another as people of faith."
John Brooks, a spokesman at the ELCA's Chicago headquarters, said the news from Lutheran CORE was "expected."
"There has always been a place in the ELCA for all people despite our differences on various issues," Brooks said.
Lutheran CORE leaders said they don't know how many ELCA congregations might join the new church body. They hope to start the new church body by their next major meeting in August.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
