Lutheran Church Lifts Ban On Non-Celibate Gay Clergy

Washington, D.C. (AHN) – The U.S.’s largest Lutheran denomination on Friday lifted a long-standing ban on the selection of actively gay and lesbian clergy to serve as pastors.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said it will permit congregations to hire homosexual men and women who are in committed relationships, after a vote of 559 to 451.

The decision was made during a biennial Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis yesterday among the leaders of the 4.6 million members.

The denomination became the second mainline Protestant church in a month to relax policies prevailing over who may minister the faith.

Similar action was taken last month by the delegation of the Episcopal Church, easing the ban on the partnered gay bishops.

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