First United hopes their trinitarian theology passes muster with the ELCA

First United Lutheran Church in San Francisco has been "suspended" from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for about twenty years.  (They had a gay pastor before having a gay pastor was cool.)

In light of the August 2009 vote to roster gays in committed relationships, they are now considering rejoining the ELCA.  First United has recently sent a revised constitution to the Secretary of the ELCA.  If approved, First United will schedule a vote.

Pastor Susan Strouse says that First United "hopes" their constitution is approved, even though it deviates from the ELCA model at certain points.  First United, for example, is committed to the use of inclusive language.  It is "near and dear" to the congregation's heart, says Pr. Susan.

All this means is that they do not use exclusively masculine terms for God.  In their statement, "Toward a Statement on Inclusive Language," the congregation states:

God may be addressed as Lord or Lover, Father or Mother, Creator or Spirit, or even Goddess. We believe, however, that God is not limited even though our language is; the names change, the truth remains the same. Our words are products of time and history, the context in which we encounter God. But our God is timeless. We welcome your contribution to our many ways of calling forth the divine love that unites us all.

One doubts that this would be very controversial.  To my knowledge, the church catholic has never said that God must be spoken of in exclusively masculine terms.  In fact, it's bad theology to do so.  God contains both the masculine and the feminine--and then some.

 

 

Comments

[Andrew]

While I can't speak for the "church catholic," the PC(USA) expects baptisms performed in its congregations to be done "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." That terminology only. I've been told bpatisms have to use that language only so as to be acceptable by ecumenical partners...

Here's a link for more information:
http://oga.pcusa.org/mgbconnect/pubs/wineskins-letter-brief.pdf

[John Petty]

That's probably correct, and I wouldn't be surprised if First United uses that formula for baptisms also.

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