Virginia Lutherans passed a resolution Sunday indicating that they trust their pastors and congregations to exercise good judgment when it comes to blessing same-sex unions.

At the same time, they said they do not want to change church rules to allow the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.

The resolution was approved near the end of the annual assembly of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The vote came after hours of discussion and parliamentary wrangling that stretched across the weekend on the Roanoke College campus in Salem, where the synod is headquartered.

The synod assembly will forward its resolution in the form of a "memorial" - or recommendation for action - to the August ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, Fla.

As with many other American denominations, the ELCA has been struggling with sexuality questions for decades. Its latest report on the subject was released in January after four years of study. The denomination's executive body - the Church Council - offered proposals for enacting the study committee's recommendations in April.

The council's first provision encouraged church members to "concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of our disagreements." That sentiment was endorsed without debate by the Virginia assembly.

Secondly, while stating the denomination has "no legislated policy" regarding the blessing of same-sex unions, the Church Council recommended continuing under the guidance of a 1993 statement by its Conference of Bishops that rejects the idea of creating an official ceremony for such unions. On the other hand, the bishops said they "express our trust in ... pastors and congregations" when it comes to providing pastoral care to same-sex couples.

Several speakers at the Salem assembly pointed out that such language leaves the matter of conducting unofficial blessings up to local pastors and congregations.

The Rev. Bill King, who works in campus ministry at Virginia Tech, said "I don't think the church can bind me" from praying over same-sex couples who come to him for counsel.

"It's important to back up pastors," said the Rev. Harold Uhl, who is retired in Roanoke. "We need to say, 'We trust you to make wise, Spirit-led decisions.'"

Others, however, insisted that it was a mistake - both as an affront to Scripture and to the long-standing traditions of the church - to allow pastors and congregations the option of even unofficial blessings for gay and lesbian couples.

Nevertheless, the assembly's 400 members voted overwhelmingly to endorse the second provision's language.

It was the third and final clause that brought some of the most prolonged discussion. For more than two hours Sunday morning, continuing the debate from Saturday, the assembly wrestled with the best way to express its dissatisfaction with a Church Council recommendation that would allow exemptions to the denomination's ordination standards regarding sexual behavior.

An ELCA document called "Vision and Expectations" informs candidates for ordination and clergy that celibacy in singleness or fidelity in the marriage of one man to one woman is expected of them. The ELCA Church Council is recommending changing church bylaws providing an official exemption from those expectations for congregations and synods that wish to ordain homosexual candidates who are otherwise qualified but are in "lifelong, committed and faithful" same-sex relationships.

The Virginia assembly declined to endorse that proposal, instead opting by a substantial majority to ask the national body to "maintain and uphold the standards ... as set forth in 'Vision and Expectations.'"

The Rev. Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, was in Salem for the assembly and responded to questions submitted to him in advance of Sunday's closing session.

He didn't delve into predictions about what the Churchwide Assembly might decide regarding the recommendations on same-sex unions or ordination of gays and lesbians. He said, however, that he and other ELCA representatives will quickly be in contact with the leaders of other Lutheran bodies around the world to explain and answer questions about whatever action is taken in the August meeting.

Hanson said he rejects a literalistic view of the Bible "in this culture so dominated by fundamentalism." Instead of relying on a "bibliocentric" version of Christian faith, "I believe in a triune God who reveals God's self to me in Scripture," Hanson said, "who is revealed in Christ, and who is revealed for us in the bread and wine" of Communion.