Bishop Mark Hanson told a gathering of Lutherans Saturday in Bismarck that, although the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is struggling with growing pains and dealing with thorny and complex issues, "a healthy church will be full of tension" as it tries to find a balance between diversity and uniformity.

The presiding bishop of the 5.1-million-member ELCA, with headquarters in Chicago, talked to about 100 clergy and laity from Bismarck-Mandan and the surrounding area at Trinity Lutheran Church about the issues that are at the top of many members' minds, including the sexuality report released this month that will likely be on the front burner at the Churchwide Assembly in Orlando in August.

Besides the sexuality study, Hanson spoke and answered questions about evangelism, church structure, ecumenism and his work as president of the Lutheran World Federation.

Evangelism is still a word "over which Lutherans trip," he said, "almost a deadly word." He'd put aside the word and instead ask members to consider "what does it mean to be an evangelizing church?" he said.

As a denomination, the ELCA is 18 years old and in some respects not yet a church body, missing the "glue" of bonds such as seminary connections, shared curriculum and hymnals of the predecessor bodies. And in America today, people distrust large institutions, he said.

In a nation where the growth of nondenominational churches has been a strong trend, Hanson said he finds the "death of denominations" premature, he said.

People have left denominations because many see them as more obstacles to their faith life than vehicles, he said, more concerned about survival than lives of faith.

"Fear drives so much of our life, the fear of loss," he said. "People don't want the church to be unstable."

But what denominations like the ELCA offer is a huge capacity to form leaders through its institutions and congregations - "denominations help us stay connected."

From mission effectiveness through Lutheran World Relief and Lutheran Social Services to ecumenical relationships, "we've managed to combine a rich identity with global relationships," he said.

Hanson said some members have been angered about what they see as his criticism of the manner of going to war in Iraq. This included a visit, along with bishops Wilton Gregory and Frank Griswold of the American Catholic and Episcopal churches, to White House national security adviser Condoleeza Rice for an impassioned debate on Iraq policy.

"But I expect leaders will be criticized," he said. A healthy church in a diverse world will feel tension, he said. "I would be more concerned if everything was tranquil."

Also, he said, "our church says we expect leaders to be engaged in struggles for justice and peace on the basis of the social statements of the church."

What matters is that people strive for justice, not that they agree with him, he said.

"My hope would be I become not a lightning rod, but a model that leaders follow, engaged in making the world a better place," Hanson said.

Hanson is also hopeful about the future.

"I see some exciting things. I wish that everyone could see the bird's-eye view that I have," he said, the vibrant lay ministry in rural communities, the 28 languages spoken in Lutheran churches in New York City every Sunday, the commitment of people in Lutheran colleges and in the passion of young people to both "feel the indwelling of God and make a difference in the world."

The image he likes for the ELCA today is a set of intersecting ecosystems - higher education, social services, campus ministries, outdoor ministries, congregations - all thriving but interdependent.

And the ELCA has huge challenges, he said.

"We're 97 percent white. We are an aging, white church," Hanson said. "How do we become more diverse?" is the question.

Finally, Hanson answered some questions about the impact of the sexuality report.

The task force that released the report said, essentially, that it found no basis for changing its current policy that does not allow gay and lesbian people in relationships to serve as clergy, and does not offer blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples.

The report also included two minority positions, one urging a stronger stance on disciplining those who break the standard, and the other a more sweeping change of the policy.

What the task force also tried to include was some discretion in imposing sanctions for the sake of unity, as Hanson understands it, "a way of creating space for some greater purpose," to say "this is not a church-dividing issue."

"This is not easy, folks," he said. But the culture will continue to force this conversation, he said.

The report now goes to two church divisions for review and then to the church council before arising at the Churchwide Assembly in August again, said Western North Dakota Synod Bishop Duane Danielson.

(Reach Karen Herzog at250-8267 or krherzog@ndonline.com.)