Canadian Lutheran church to ordain first gay pastor

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

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False Churches, False Brethren, False Gospels

Canadian Lutheran church to ordain first gay pastor*

From correspondents in Ottawa

May 17, 2008 08:05am
Article from: Agence France-Presse

A CANADIAN Lutheran church said it was to ordain its first gay pastor,
who is married to another man, despite likely sanctions for breaking
church teachings.

"The people of Holy Cross have issued a call to Lionel Ketola to serve
as associate pastor,'' the Toronto-area church said on its website.

It said the ordination is "in violation of the ELCIC (Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Canada)'s discriminatory policy of excluding
'self-declared and practicing homosexuals' from the office of ordained
ministry.''

But regardless, the church said it would ordain and hire Ketola.

The ordination of an openly gay Lutheran pastor would be a first in
Canada, following more than a dozen such ordinations in the United
States, said reports.

The Lutheran Church of Canada narrowly defeated a bid last year to allow
the blessing of same-sex unions, and prohibits the ordination of openly
gay pastors.

In a letter last month, posted on the church's website, Bishop Michael
Pryse warned Holy Cross it would face disciplinary action if the
ordination and hiring of Ketola went ahead.

"I am fearful that your actions have the potential to do irreparable
damage to the already fragile connecting fabric of our church,'' he
wrote in the letter.