Richmond, USA - The Virginia Lutheran church trusts the judgment of its pastors and congregations when it comes to blessing same-sex unions, according to a resolution passed by the church.
At the same time, church officials turned down the idea of allowing ordination among noncelibate homosexuals.
The resolution came during the 400-member annual assembly of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this past weekend.
The topics came to the fore as the denomination wrestled with proposals offered by its executive body in April. Those proposals stemmed from a report on sexuality questions released in January.
Among the proposals: encouraging church members to live together under an umbrella of faith despite disagreements over social issues; continuing under the guidance of 1993 statement entrusting churches to make wise decisions when offering guidance to same-sex couples; and considering changes that could ordain noncelibate gays.
The Rev. Harold Uhl, who is retired, supported giving churches more freedom.
"It's important to back up pastors," he said. "We need to say, 'We trust you to make wise, spirit-led decisions."'
Still, the Virginia assembly declined endorsing a recommendation that would have bypassed celibacy rules and allowed the ordainment of homosexuals in "lifelong, committed and faithful same-sex relationships."
Approved resolutions will go before a churchwide assembly in Orlando, Fla., as recommendations for action in August.