Church program won't care for woman who once was a man

A church's refusal to care for a woman who was once a man highlights a national battle over faith-based social programs.

David Peterson, Star Tribune

As far as the Rev. John Maxfield could tell, everything was fine between his church and Anoka County until that Friday the 13th.

The county social services department was sending disabled seniors and other vulnerable adults needing care during the day to Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Francis. Trinity's members were bringing in hot dishes for lunch.

Then the county brought another client to the conservative Missouri Synod church: a woman who had begun life as a man.

The church refused to let her in. The county refused to send any more clients.

Maxfield, who says the church now loses significant money on the program, is left to wonder what the future holds for faith-based government-supported social services.

"It places the church in a difficult situation," he said. "We want to minister to everyone. But this person's outward behavior contradicts the church's teaching."

A national trend

Trinity Lutheran, said one expert who follows the issues closely, finds itself squarely in the middle of a gathering national battle.

"Two trends are occurring at same time," said Robert Vischer, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas. "The government, recognizing the value of religious organizations providing services that contribute to the good of society, is funding them more. At the same time, we're expanding the range of antidiscrimination laws."

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"Jerry Soma, Anoka County's division manager for human services, said the county has been lenient.

"I presume the most prudent thing for us to do was to say, 'You are not taking a person because of sexual orientation, therefore you are discriminating and we will take everyone out till you change your position,' " he said. "But we had a conference, including a county commissioner, and we asked 'Why should we upset the lives of 10 people that are vulnerable adults, getting services, just because of discrimination against one person?"

WWJD?

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