Print this page

Our Purpose

The NETWORK provides a public roster of both clergy and lay church leaders committed to witness to the inclusive Gospel of Jesus Christ by fostering the full inclusion of sexual minorities (i.e. persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender) in the congregational life and ordained ministry of the ELCA.

Who Are We?

As with most organizations, The NETWORK began as a small group of individuals who were committed to the ideal expressed in our Purpose Statement. Since that original group of ten persons, The NETWORK has grown to over 1200 rostered members.

NETWORK members are church members, bishops, lay professionals, seminarians, diaconal ministers, deaconesses, AIMS, professors, and pastors - fathers and mothers, spouses and siblings - who believe it is time publicly to register their opposition to the continual expulsions and forced resignations of ELCA pastors who are openly gay or lesbian. Names of NETWORK members are listed on a public roster, which is shared with ELCA officials and displayed on banners at services of worship and special functions.

We come together as ELCA church leaders who want to move from quiet questioning of our church's policies on sexuality to public advocacy for change. We publicly challenge the ELCA:

  • To promote an environment open to honest and faithful discussion as together we seek greater clarity under God concerning issues surrounding sexuality;

  • To affirm committed and faithful same-sex relationships with appropriate ecclesial liturgies and provide pastoral care for gay and lesbian people as for all other members of the ELCA;

  • To change the current guidelines in "Vision and Expectations" and "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline" which discriminate against gay and lesbian clergy, AIMs and seminarians;

  • To accept qualified women and men - regardless of sexual orientation - as pastors and professionals of this church and as candidates for ministry within it;

  • To seek justice for victims of sexual orientation discrimination within the church and to support those who provide care for these victims and advocate on their behalf.

Affirmations

Below are three "Affirmations" of those who have publicly placed themselves on The Network Roster.

  • We affirm the authority of God's Word for our faith and life. We acknowledge that our church has, on the basis of scriptural interpretation, condemned all sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage. However, we believe recent and respected scholarship requires other interpretations of certain biblical passages, particularly as they apply to committed and faithful same-gender relationships.

  • We believe it is time for ELCA clergy, AIMS and lay people to challenge the policies and practices which continue to bring so much pain to the gay and lesbian members of our church and their families, and deprives the church of gifted professionals.

  • We further affirm the vision of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in which the Gospel of God's grace in Christ is central. It is that Gospel which empowers us to move beyond estrangement to mutual trust, consolation, and cooperation in the life and ministry of the church. We are deeply concerned when the only choice given to our gay and lesbian pastors, AIMS, diaconal ministers, deaconesses and seminarians is to be silent or to leave the church. The continued expulsion of gay and lesbian professionals who are in stable, committed relationships deprives the church of positive role models for its gay and lesbian members, drives them out of the church and leaves them bereft of sacraments, pastoral care and Christian community.

Please tell us about your ideas for this site. Just contact us. Thank you!