But the Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director of ELCA Church in Society, stressed that Lutherans do not make up a "rule book of right and wrong behaviours."
Instead, "Lutherans seek to help people make ethical decisions in the midst of the messiness of life," she said, according to the ELCA News Service.
Chicago Bishop Wayne Miller praised the task force for keeping the conversation alive and not recommending changes in policy, although such changes may grow out of the statement.
"There's room for us to grow, but it doesn't dictate that for us," Miller said, according to The Chicago Tribune.
The document is intended to guide the 4.8 million members in setting policy and forming judgments about social issues, officials said.
The panel, nevertheless, highlighted that Scripture is the basis for Christian ethics.
It acknowledged that Scripture passages can be abused and misunderstood through selective use as a moral guide, especially on the topic of sexuality.
Scripture should be interpreted in light of human experience, culture and society's changing circumstances, the panel stated. "The Lutheran tradition, then, is open to human knowledge insofar as it encourages the good of the neighbor, protects against harm, and does not make false claims about God. In this light, human knowledge about sexuality, such as that found in medicine and the social and physical sciences, can teach us about healthy practice and provide new insights."
Chavez of WordAlone criticised the document's reliance on sources beyond Scripture. And he believes the document not only doesn't resolve anything, but will also make things worse.
The Rev. Paull Spring of State College, Pa., chair of the conservative Lutheran CORE Steering Committee said the statement seems to have left out some key passages from the Bible.
"Lutherans have traditionally addressed sexuality biblically by starting with creation and noting that God created humans male and female," he said. "The draft statement seems to have avoided those biblical passages and that perspective of human sexuality. There is a surprising absence of procreation as a purpose of marriage."
The draft did not discuss ELCA policies that currently bar practicing homosexual clergy. Recommendations on that controversial issue will be made next year.
Responses to the first draft are being received until November. After revisions, the statement along with the proposal on clergy standards will be presented for a vote at the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly in 2009.
