“My concern is doctrinal issues like this shouldn’t be decided by people voting on them because it just sets up winners and losers. I think that’s the saddest part for me,” said Bradosky, who opposes the policy.
But the Rev. Monte Stevens, pastor of North Riverdale Lutheran Church in Dayton, said he is in favor of moving in that direction.
“For me and many in my congregation, we believe that God created each of us and loves us as we are whether that be homosexual or heterosexual,” Stevens said. “The church has made other hard decisions in the past about the ordination of women, civil rights and slavery. The church continues to be led by the Spirit of God and this may be the next step.”
Stevens said he was pleased delegates on Wednesday approved a social statement on human sexuality, which lays a theological foundation for a liberalized policy on gay clergy.
Pastor Edward Williams, assistant to Bishop Callon Holloway Jr. of the Southern Ohio Synod, said there are about 60 Lutheran congregations in the Dayton metropolitan area.
“For some people, it’s a big issue; for some it is not. People are all over the map on it,” Williams said from the Minneapolis, Minn., convention Thursday.
Local pastors said Bishop Holloway had taken a stand against the policy prior to the convention.
Robert Forsberg, pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Fairborn, said many of the area’s pastors are against it, too, including him.
All clergy from the synod will meet with the bishop Tuesday in the wake of Friday’s vote.
“Where we go from here, I don’t know,” Forsberg said. “It’s going to be interesting.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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