|
PASTOR’S WEEKLY BRIEFING ELCA Relaxes View on Homosexuality Leaders of the country's largest Lutheran denomination have moved toward a more passive view of homosexuality. Delegates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in Minneapolis, narrowly approved a "social statement on human sexuality" that acknowledges differing views on homosexuality and says the ELCA is able to accommodate such differences. The 676-338 vote was exactly the two-thirds margin needed to pass a policy statement for the 4.8-million member body. The 34-page document, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," will now be considered as a teaching document for the country's most liberal Lutheran denomination and a foundation for future church policies. It addresses a spectrum of topics relevant to human sexuality, including social structures, cohabitation, sexual exploitation, abuse and homosexuality. On this final point, the document essentially says that the ELCA will agree to disagree on the issue of same-sex relationships, but will neither punish congregations that decide to bless such relationships nor force congregations that reject blessing same-sex couples to change. Then, two days later, a few hours before the ELCA was scheduled to vote on a series of resolutions which ultimately gave approval of gay clergy in monogamous relationships, the gathering was interrupted by a police order to move everyone from the vast conference center into a convention center because a twister was approaching. At about 2:00 p.m., the tornado struck Central Lutheran Church across the street from the convention center, ripping down part of the 90-year-old steel cross atop the church. "We trust the weather is not a commentary on our work," joked Rev. Steven Loy, chairman of the ad hoc committee for the document. [OneNewsNow.com, Washington Times, Christianity Today, Minnesota Independent, ChristianPost.com] |
Two years after the founding of the Assemblies of God, members adopted 16 beliefs for the Fellowship. This list, known as the Statement of Fundamental Truths, remains virtually unchanged. Four of these beliefs are considered the major tenets of the Fellowship. They are:
1. Salvation Through Jesus Christ (John 3:3, 16, 17; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8, 9)
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.
2. Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 2:4; 17, 18, 38, 39)
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
3. Divine Healing for the Sick (James 5:14-16)
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.
4. The Second Coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.
For a complete list of the 16 Fundamental Truths of the Assemblies of God, click here.
