I sure wish this was a misquote!

The Santa Cruz Sentinel has a story from last September headlined “Local Evangelical Lutherans applaud church’s decision allowing gay clergy.” It’s about the ELCA’s then-recent move to ordain clergy who are in committed same-sex relationship (they actually had allowed gay clergy prior to the 2009 decision).

Anyway, check out these three paragraphs in the middle of the story:

“Scripture is not clear on a lot of sexual issues,” said the Rev. Stan Abraham, pastor at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in Soquel and Trinity Lutheran Church in Watsonville. “And because it is not a cut-and-dry issue, the ELCA’s decision is reasonable at this particular time.”

The Missouri Synod’s position is that you can be a gay or lesbian member of the church, but not a practicing clergy member, celibate or not.

“It was a good decision for the ELCA to allow each congregation to decide whether or not they want to allow for the ordination of gay men and lesbians in committed relationships,” said Abraham. “The decision will not impact the good relationships we have with our colleagues at the ELCA.”

Unfortunately it’s not a misquote. I don’t know why but District President Robert Newton apparently hasn’t had the time or inclination to deal with this false teaching.

What’s more — I’m told that Stan Abraham isn’t even just on the clergy roster of the LCMS. He’s the circuit counselor.

I know that Newton is a big supporter of President Kieschnick. I hope that President Kieschnick can talk to DP Newton and get him to handle this unfortunate scandal.

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