In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Presiding Bishop Mark Hanso expressed his hope that the denomination would stay united no matter what the outcome of the debate. The ELCA General Assembly will vote during a meeting in Orlando, Fla., on 8-14 August, on the ordainment of openly homosexual clergy and the blessing of same-sex unions by the church.

Hanson said that he hoped that anyone thinking of leaving the denomination after the gathering should consider the role of the Church in the world beyond its stance on homosexuality. "I think as a large Church body we have great capacity to be in mission together that is diminished when we are apart," Hanson said.

He spoke of the upcoming discussions, saying that he hoped "that we will not take the tensions they create as evidence of a divided church but as a sign that a church is struggling with what it means to be centered in Christ."

"I don't look to a tension-free church as the mark of a vital and healthy church in mission," he added.

The three major Lutheran proposals related to homosexuality would verify the church’s ban on ordaining sexually active gays, but allow bishops or church districts called synods to seek an exception for a particular candidate. It would support the denomination's ban against same-sex blessings, but give bishops and pastors discretion in deciding how to minister to gay couples. It would also call for unity despite differences over what the Bible says about homosexuality.

Hanson is also president of the Lutheran World Federation, which represents 138 churches in 77 countries. He did not say how he would vote and did not reveal details of his talks with overseas churches about the gathering.

Members of the LWF disagree on gay issues. Blessings for gay couples are allowed by the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, a merger of Lutheran and Reformed Churches. But the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada last week rejected a proposal that would have allowed local pastors to decide whether to bless same-sex couples or not.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is one of the nation's largest Protestant denominations with over 5 million members and is the most recent to vote on major gay issues. A crisis in the Anglican Church emerged two years ago after the U.S. Episcopal Church consecrated Gene Robinson, its first openly gay bishop.