A task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recommended Thursday that it retain its policy against blessing same-sex unions and ordaining gay clergy but suggested that sanctions could be avoided for pastors and congregations who choose to do so.

The sixth-largest denomination with 5 million members in the United States and the Caribbean, the Lutheran Church is attempting to resolve what the task force called a "deep, pervasive" disagreement within its community about the role and treatment of gays.

The recommendations are expected to draw comment from churches and regional synods. The church's national assembly will address any changes to policy on homosexuality at its biennial meeting in Orlando, Fla., in August.

Some clergy said that by giving local churches and synods wiggle room, the task force had found a way to preserve the unity of the church. "The task force didn't want legislation: That would have created a win-lose situation," said the Rev. Dr. Philip D.W. Krey, president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

"They wanted to legitimize both sides of the issue. This allows each side to be conscientious objectors, allows them to legitimately disagree and act on it and not be disciplined for it."

But Word Alone, a Biblically orthodox Lutheran group, sharply criticized the task force's recommendations as an attempt to hoodwink parishioners into believing its recommendations will not bring change to ELCA practices.

"While the ELCA Sexuality Task Force may say it isn't suggesting change in the ELCA standards for ordination, the recommendations in its report will bring about de facto change because they suggest that the standards not be enforced," said Pastor Jaynan Clark Egland, WordAlone president, of Spokane, Wash., in a statement on the group's Web site.

Lutherans Concerned, a group that seeks greater acceptance of gay people in the church, said that the recommendations did not go far enough to dispel the punitive atmosphere around issues of homosexuality.

"We were dismayed and deeply saddened by the recommendations, because we felt they perpetuate a system of selective discrimination of gays and lesbians in the Lutheran Church," said Emily Eastwood, the group's executive director. "The operative phrase is 'may choose' not to discipline, and that's not a moratorium on discipline."