The largest Lutheran denomination in the United States has published a new guide arguing the Bible supports full "LGBTQIA+" inclusion.
The guide, issued by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), advocates for the complete "welcome, inclusion, and equity of LGBTQIA+ Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church."
The denomination claims that "each of us is a beloved child of God, perfectly and wonderfully made, just as we are."
The new document trains Lutheran church members in how to use the "SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression) spectrum" in order to make people feel more welcome in the church.
It also gives detailed definitions of terms such as genderqueer, pansexual, gender non-conforming, and androgynous, as well as encourages members to honor the "core and authentic part of oneself" of those who do not identify as male or female.
