yes, a defining issue, and noteworthy... Too bad few people in any camp will notice what COULD BE defining issues of this generation IF WE WANTED THEM TO BE, that the ELCA is also considering, like fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS in Africa.

We would be close to HEAVEN if we tried so vigorously to hold each other Biblically accountable for matters such as poverty, clean water for Africa, feeding the hungry, creating and building economies in the two-thirds world that the first world has shamelessly pimped into poverty.

I might give a $h!t about sexual orientation, when Christians would get serious about the poor. MT 25:31f.