Lutheran bishops take cautious stance on same-sex couples

Prayers, not blessings for gay couples

Jukka Paarma

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A cautious step was taken by participants of the Bishops' Conference of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church on Wednesday in the direction of greater acceptance of same-sex couples.
      At the end of their conference on Wednesday, participants at the conference voted 16-4 that a “moment of prayer” can be held with same-sex couples who have officially registered their civil union.
      They also agreed that a church employee would be entitled to refuse to participate in such an event for reasons of conscience.
     
Only four voted in favour of proposing to the Synod of the church that same sex couples should be allowed to get a blessing similar to that of a marriage between a man and a women.
      “We do not feel that a registered union is a marriage, and therefore these couples do not have the right to marry. A marriage is between a man and a woman”, said Archbishop Jukka Paarma.
     
The Bishops’ Conference distanced itself from Sweden, where Parliament passed a gender-neutral marriage law in April last year. Since November, the Swedish Lutheran Church has performed same-sex weddings.
      The Finnish Lutheran Bishops came out against gender-neutral marriage, both for the church and as a state policy. A number of countries, including The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, and Norway have approved such legislation.
      “In Sweden it was a short path from blessing gay couples to marrying them. The Swedish example has had affected the Finnish church in such a way that caution has increased”, said Simo Peura, the Bishop of Lapua, on Tuesday.
     
The idea of a moment of prayer for gay couples might be a step too far for many delegates at the Synod, which is to meet in May.
      Paarma notes that many in the church still see homosexuality as a sin. “Prayer is the first stand taken by the church on same-sex relationships, and it was preceded by years of preparation”, the Archbishop pointed out.
      The Bishops’ Conference felt that prayer was such a small gesture that even the conservative delegates might accept it.
      The decision would require a three-fourths majority in the vote.
     
“The church has a long tradition of viewing homosexuals, and all sexuality that does not aim at procreation in a negative light”, says Dr. Vesa Hirvonen, a lecturer on theological ethics and philosophy of religion at the University of Helsinki.
      “The Bishops’ conference rejected the idea that homosexuals would have limited value as human beings in the church”, said Archbishop Paarma. “Those in registered relationships have all rights, including the right to be a church worker.”
      There is likely to be debate at the Synod on the suitable locations of such a prayer event. The individual congregations will decide if they want to allow a church or chapel building will be used for the purpose.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Church rejects complaints against Espoo minister who blessed same-sex couple (30.9.2008)
  Two women - one a Finn, another a lesbian - ordained as Church of Sweden bishops (9.11.2009)
  Lutheran bishops want to avert disputes over same-sex partnerships (14.2.2002)

Links:
  Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

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