DECLARATION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD OF THE ESTONIAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH: REGARDING THE STANCE OF CHURCHES ON HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AND FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN CHURCHES In the last few years a discussion has taken place in some churches about human beings, human sexuality and marriage which has resulted in a new attitude towards homosexual behaviour. This is reflected in the change of practice by churches – blessings or marriage of same-sex couples as well as the ordination of clergy who are living in same-sex relationships. The General Synod of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church with great concern watches closely such developments in some of the member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, Porvoo Communion and Community of Protestant Churches in Europe. Church fellowship grows out of a common faith and is reflected in a common understanding of doctrine. This means that churches in fellowship with one another do not make decisions regarding the historical teaching and practice of the church without reaching consensus with one another within the level of the organization binding together the church bodies. Otherwise, the fellowship between churches, which is founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and realized through a common witness and service, is strained and inhibited. In 2008 the Estonian Council of Churches through a common stand by its members expressed that “the tradition of Holy Scripture cannot be reinterpreted as sanctioning homosexual practice. Homosexuality according to the Bible is a sin which is dealt in a negative light within both the Old and New Testaments. In the understanding of Christian life and practice, sin cannot be ‘made to become the norm’”. This same understanding has been reiterated by the bishops of the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian evangelical Lutheran churches. They have drawn attention to the difficulties arising in inter-church relations when a unilateral change has been made in the church’s traditional teaching about humanity, marriage, human sexuality and the therefore following practice. Thereby, the General Synod of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church declares that the blessing or even marriage of people living in same sex relationships is not in accordance with the teaching of the Holy Scripture and the Christian faith. When one church officially approves such behaviour, that church is expressing a clear difference in the understanding of the Christian faith and church doctrine. This impairs the implementation of altar- and pulpit fellowship between churches. Faithfulness to God and to God’s word demands of us, that we teach, proclaim and follow only that teaching which our Lord has entrusted to his Church so that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4) We lay down as fact that within the Lutheran World Federation, Porvoo Communion and Community of Protestant Churches in Europe there fails to be a common stand in relation to homosexual behaviour. We call upon the churches that have unilaterally changed the up until now held practice or are considering making such changes to return to solid foundation of God’s word and we pray that the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truth (John 16:13). November 25th, 2009 Tallinn, Estonia 27.11.2009