Atlanta – The Rev. Bradley Schmeling has lost another skirmish with the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination over the fact he is in a gay relationship.
But he and his flock at Atlanta’s St. John’s Lutheran Church intend to take the battle national.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America announced Thursday it has removed Schmeling from its list of approved ministers because of his long-term relationship with a man.
Schmeling and members of St. John’s say they will travel to a national church conference in August to try to change the minds of delegates on gay issues.
They will host a forum, hoping that hearing Schmeling share his story will persuade delegates to change ELCA policies.
Schmeling said he will remain St. John’s minister.
Some expect the debate on gay clergy and members to be reignited because of the action against Schmeling.
The ELCA, of which St. John’s is a member congregation, has taken a middle road among Protestant churches, ordaining celibate gay ministers.
“For the church government to take this action against him is self-evidently stupid,” said John Ballew, congregation president of St. John’s.
Under Schmeling, St. John’s has grown from about 250 to more than 350 members in seven years.
Many other congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are shrinking. The denomination is the nation’s largest Lutheran body, with about 5 million members.
Bishop Ronald B. Warren charged Schmeling with violating church regulations last year. A 12-member disciplinary committee recommended Schmeling’s removal from the list of approved pastors but asked that no action be taken until after the national meeting.
Schmeling appealed to a higher committee, which removed him from the clergy roster Monday. About one-third of the 65 synods that make up the ELCA have asked delegates to discuss and act on the issue at the Aug. 6-11 convention in Chicago.
Schmeling expects to remain in the pulpit. Local congregations hire their pastors in the ELCA.
“As far as we are concerned, that call has not changed,” Schmeling said.
How churches deal with gay members and ministers has been a divisive issue among denominations in recent years, with some churches leaving their organizations over the dispute and ending up in legal disputes over who owns church property.
