This article by a lay member of the ELCIC questions whether congregations accepting the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) designation from Lutherans Concerned are fully aware of the implications of doing so. [This article was submitted to the Canada Lutheran, but was not accepted for publication.]
The Eastern Synod section of the December issue of the Canada Lutheran proudly featured an announcement that Holy Cross Lutheran, Newmarket, Ontario received a certificate from Lutherans Concerned, a lobby group for gays and lesbians, designating their congregation as a welcoming Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation.
Unfortunately there is sufficient ambiguity surrounding Lutherans Concerned’s RIC program such that it is not always clear that RIC is a “camel nose under the tent wall” sort of program which opens the way to endorse and bless same-sex unions and ordain openly sexually active gays and lesbians, a position at odds with our church’s current teaching on sexuality which was upheld at the ELCIC’s 2005 National Convention.
Thus, although the RIC designation is dressed up in the warm and fuzzy language of ‘welcoming’, it should be clearly understood by the parishioners at Holy Cross Lutheran that by accepting this designation they are in essence publicly sending a message that they support the aforementioned objectives of Lutherans Concerned’s RIC program. Indeed, that may well be the direction that this congregation willingly chooses to go. However, if that is not the case, then sadly I fear that the parishioners of Holy Cross have been the victims of deception.
Ron Voss
Cochrane, Alberta
