E Ontario Now

A Lutheran pastor was recently re-instated years after having been removed from his position because he chooses to have a sexual relationship with another man. Reverend Bradley Schmeling shows signs of happiness after hearing the decision.

This is a tremendous milestone for other gays who work within the church and have to hide their sexual preference.

Schmeling is now back serving at the St. John’s Lutheran Church, located in the Atlanta, Georgia area. A committee from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also better known as the ELCA, made the decision last month.

The ELCA removed Schmeling from its list of approved ministers back in 2007. However the church that Schmeling served was not in agreement with the decision, so they still allowed him to be pastor. Schmeling has lived with his boyfriend, Darin Easler, since 2005. Easler is a reverend who was also removed from by the same board in 2007 also. They are just waiting for the ELCA to finish up necessary paperwork before it is all official. Members of the Lutheran Church have mixed emotions about the ELCA decision, but some have said as long as the two are celibate, they will accept the decision of the ELCA.