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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJanuary 12th, 2010
The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to express the church’s grave concern over the Proposed Anti-Homosexuality bill in Uganda.
Here is a portion of his letter:
The ELCA is gravely concerned that this measure, introduced last year by Ugandan member of parliament David Bahati, would, in certain cases, impose the death penalty for persons convicted of “aggravated homosexuality.” Enactment of this kind of legislation would be an abhorrent injustice and outside the norms and standards of internationally-recognized human rights.
For the ELCA such an action would be inconsistent with various aspects of our church’s social policy, such as the social statements, including “Death Penalty” (1991), “For Peace in God’s World” (1995), and “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” (2009), as well as the 1993 Church Council action related to “harassment, assault, and discrimination due to sexual orientation,” all of which affirm the foundational human dignity of each person created in the image of God.
We welcome this strong witness.
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Richard W. Fitch
January 12th, 2010
I don’t have all the church-based stmts on the top of my head, but this one from ELCA seems like the most strongly worded so far. Other recent news from Uganda seems to indicate that the pressure from the world community is beginning to sink in at the highest levels of govt. It will be next to impossible to have every party feel as though they have won, but the prospect for a humane outcome are increasing.
Piper
January 12th, 2010
Makes me proud to be an ELCA Lutheran!
anteros
January 12th, 2010
Wow! Now that’s what I call a statement!
Grant
January 12th, 2010
Yes, the Lutherans step up to the plate yet again. I’ve been very happy to see how the ELCA has progressed on gay/lesbian issues from a religious standpoint. This statement further cements their esteem. History will remember this well.
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