How is it helpful that Lutherans are talking about making gay clergy a local decision? I understand why they wouldn’t want a big split in their denomination but I envision local splits, based on clergy hiring decisions which would result in people from whichever side lost the argument moving on to a different church or to forming a new church. I doubt it would be any less contentious.
We had a local split because of this issue. The former ELCA pastor moved into a dining hall next to our office because they were demanding that he accept this change. I think they figured that roughly half left and half stayed behind. Whether he would have stayed if this were allowed locally in another part of the country, but not where he is, is anyone’s guess.