HICKORY
New Jerusalem Lutheran Church has voted to break away from the ELCA over the issue of gays in the pulpit.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America decided last August at a churchwide assembly to allow unrestricted access to the pulpit by gay and lesbian pastors.
The controversial move was rejected by a portion of the ELCA membership.
Last Sunday, the congregation of New Jerusalem voted 117-8, with two abstentions, to leave the ELCA.
New Jerusalem is one of the first congregations in North Carolina to do so, according to the pastor, the Rev. Randall A. Cauble.
"What's happening in the ELCA has gone far beyond this issue of how the church deals with homosexuality," Cauble said.
"This is really about the authority of the scriptures over what we believe and what we teach as Lutherans."
The decision by the national church organization referred to gay and lesbian pastors "in monogamous, publicly accountable same-sex relationships," as quoted by Cauble.
"Those of us who are now called dissidents have never said that we don't want gays in the Lutheran Church," Cauble said.
"They and we are sinners. The church is where we all belong. But by ordaining and installing practicing homosexuals as pastors, the ELCA has endorsed something that God has repeatedly called sin for thousands of years in biblical teachings," he said.
New Jerusalem was founded 105 years ago. This Friday, it will host a regional meeting of the Lutheran Coalition for Renewal, an organization opposing the ELCA decision and dedicated to forming a new denomination, the North American Lutheran Church.
CORE describes the church as more conservative that the ELCA.
New Jerusalem must have a second vote on splitting from the ELCA.
A 90-day "cooling off period" is required. During that time, the congregation must counsel with the ELCA N.C. Synod in Salisbury, according to the Rev. C. Jason Sigmon, vice president of the New Jerusalem Congregation Council.
Sigmon, an ordained Lutheran pastor not currently serving a parish, has led much of the CORE educational and informational effort at New Jerusalem.
A two-thirds majority of voting members at the designated meeting on Sept. 12 must agree to the split. A result similar to the first vote is expected.
The ELCA describes its organization as one "more ecclesiastical that legal."
New Jerusalem is one of seven ELCA congregations in North Carolina in the Lutheran CORE.
Others are Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Newton, Mount Calvary in Claremont, Christiana in Salisbury, Holy Trinity in Troutman, Lows Lutheran in Liberty, and Center Grove in Kannapolis.
The North American Lutheran Church will officially launch at a national convocation Aug. 26-27 in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
New Jerusalem joined CORE last January. Ironically, Cauble said, members will vote June 27 on whether to become a member of NALC.
Cauble said a delegation from New Jerusalem will attend the NALC convention.
"How can the ELCA, in the name of social justice, throw out the validity of one of the Ten Commandments — the Sixth Commandment against adultery — and not challenge God's authority to create commandments at all?" Cauble asked.
"New Jerusalem has simply responded to that."
For more information:
www.lutherancore.org
www.newjerusalemlutheranchurch.org
www.elca.org
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