Minneapolis Lutherans oppose marriage amendment

The Minneapolis Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passed a resolution this evening opposing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

Made up of 155 congregations from Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Isanti, Scott, and parts of Sherburne and Wright counties, the synod represents nearly 190,000 baptized members.

The resolution opposes the amendment that would "would prevent one group of committed couples and their families from pursuing ordinary legislative or legal means to gain the support and protections afforded to all other."

In 2004, the Minneapolis Synod opposed any effort to rewrite the federal or state constitutions to forbid the the creation of legally recognized relationships between same sex couples.

In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the national group, voted to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy.

The resolution takes pains to point out Lutherans may "hold various convictions regarding lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships," nevertheless, the church "has called upon congregations and members of this church to welcome, care for, and support same-gender couples and their families and to advocate for their legal protection."

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