This November the people of Minnesota will be voting on a proposed amendment to their state constitution that would ban recognition of same-sex marriage. Lutheran Bishop Peter Rogness has written a pastoral letter urging Lutherans in Minnesota to vote against the proposed amendment:

Healthy, stable, life-long relationships, whether heterosexual alone or homosexual as well, serve the well-being of society.... Allowing for the possibility of life-long, committed same-gender relationships poses no threat to faithful heterosexual marriage or healthy settings for our children. But regardless of one's position on the amendment, our whole society would be well-served if the energy and money spent on this political fight were to be spent instead on support for marriage and the well-being of the children of this state.

The bishop emphasizes that Lutheran church believes that marriage is between one man and one woman. But he recognizes that "healthy and faithful [Lutheran] congregations are coming to different conclusions," and that "neither our church nor our society is of one mind" about marriage equality. Go read the whole thing.