It also gives both the clergy and parishioners the responsibility to honor those boundaries and to recognize when they've been violated. The ELCA Church Council approved the strategy in 1992, and she presented the booklet to the council when it met here April 12-15. David J. Hardy, ELCA general counsel, stressed that the resource is only a resource for Lutherans and not an expression of church policy. The ELCA Division for Ministry strongly encouraged the church's 65 synods to distribute the resource to congregations, through synod assembly packets or through other channels. It was given to all synod bishops.
Some seminaries are interested in using it as part of their training for students.