A task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recommended that course Thursday in a long-awaited report on ministry standards. The panel, however, said the church needs to clarify a number of questions before overhauling its gay clergy policy. The report, issued at the same time as a broader church social statement on human sexuality, seeks balance on an issue dividing many Protestant churches.

"This ought not to be church-dividing, even if there are strong differences."

Church members on both sides of the issue, however, were dissatisfied with the proposal. Conservatives called it a rejection of Scripture and an advocate for gay clergy said some of the elements take "a step backward."

The proposed change would cover those in "lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships." The task force recommended a deliberate four-step process toward a new policy — starting with asking the church whether it is committed in principle "to finding ways to allow congregations and synods that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable" those relationships.

The desire is to hold gay people accountable to their relationships much like heterosexual couples are bound by marriage, he said. The report doesn't propose ways to accomplish that.

Next, the church would consider whether it wants to find a way to allow gay clergy while agreeing to "respect the bound consciences of all." If the assembly can agree on those things, then it would weigh the recommendation essentially granting a local option on gay clergy in committed relationships. The ELCA report calls for "structured flexibility" giving congregations, regional church bodies called synods and candidacy committees freedom to "act according to their convictions."

"The task force believes the church will be better at respecting the consciences of people who disagree if we allow room for different practice," Olson said. "That goes hand in hand with our conviction that our Christian unity doesn't depend on agreement about ethical questions."

"When any church finds itself accommodating its teachings to the ways of the culture, that church is in trouble," the Rev. Erma Wolf of Brandon, S.D., vice chair of the group's steering committee, said in a statement. "No church has the authority to overturn the Word of God."