pretty good lutherans

Bishop Steven Ullestad won’t say whether he supports a resolution requiring gay clergy in his Northeastern Iowa Synod to “abstain from homosexual sexual relationships,” according to a report today in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Religion reporter Molly Rossiter snagged an interview with Ullestad to discuss controversial resolutions adopted by the NE Iowa Synod Council last month. Read Rossiter’s report and blog.

As previously reported by Pretty Good Lutherans, the council’s action was in response to an August decision by the ELCA national assembly to allow partnered gays to serve in the denomination’s ministries. The celibacy rule was lifted.

In another development, Bishop Ullestad sent out a pastoral letter to congregations in the NE Iowa Synod on Friday, according to his son, Erik Ullestad, a youth minister. On his blog, “koinonia,” the younger Ullestad offers brief remarks explaining the role of a bishop, followed by a copy of the bishop’s pastor letter.

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©Pretty Good Lutherans

DES MOINES, Iowa — Reggie  Kelsey lived in foster care for many years. He required intense care because of a mental disability.

In 2001, he turned 18 — too old for foster care — though he had the mind of a fourth grader.

Soon he was living on the streets, bouncing from shelter to shelter. But Reggie lacked the skills to make it own his own.

He was found dead in the Des Moines River three months after his birthday. The coroner said the cause was either an accident or suicide.

No family members claimed the body from the morgue.

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During her lifetime, Mother Teresa of Calcutta sent lawyers after anyone who slapped her image on posters, T-shirt, mug or other products. It reflected the humility of the nun whose ministry was to the poorest of the poor.

Since her death, Facebook has arisen and so, too, dozens of “fan pages” in honor of her. “She would have hated it,” said Dr. Lawrence Cunningham, a theologian at the University of Notre Dame. “At the same time, it’s inevitable. People do all kinds of things spontaneously on the Internet for people they admire and loathe.”

The ELCA saw that happen after the 2009 national assembly. A Minnesota pastor created a Facebook “fan page” for ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson as “just a fun-fan thing.”

ELCA marketing communications director Scott Hendrickson also serves as the page’s administrator. The Web site features 33 photos of the bishops and links to ELCA sites where more can be learned about the bishop, his ministry and the church.

In the days after the assembly, ELCA workers sent out messages notifying people of the number of  Bishop Hanson’s “fans.” To date, that number is nearly 3,500. Nearly 200 have posted messages either about or to the bishop. “I hope you have taken a much needed vacation…,” one reader wrote.

What Would Jesus Do? St. Francis of Assisi? Martin Luther? Would they embrace social media as a new avenue of evangelism or an empty form of narcissism?

Pretty Good Lutherans randomly asked several ELCA members to review Bishop Hanson’s Facebook page. Here are their reflections:

Nicolette Faison, Elmont, N.Y.; president, ELCA’s Lutheran Youth Organization. Position: Bishops on Facebook is something to embrace.

Clergy have become popular on Facebook. It’s almost typical to have one’s pastor as a Facebook friend. Lately, synodical bishops have taken the initiative to join the Facebook movement as well. From a youth point of view, bishops on Facebook isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  It helps many people youth and adults relate better to their bishops. The church is a social community as well as a religious community.