by Pastor Eric Swensson
LC3 Steering Committee
More and more, issues are argued from liberal and conservative positions. Lutheran ethicist Robert Benne wrote about this brilliantly in an essay, "Replacing the Center with the Periphery." Benne's statement that the ELCA, like the other liberal protestant denominations is more interested in social justice than the salvation of souls is borne out in the summaries of what was accomplished at the August, 2007 biennial Chicago Assembly. One journalist's summary said, "The more than 1,000 people in Chicago voiced strong enthusiasm for the work of the ELCA, re-elected Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson by a large majority, approved a sweeping statement on the church's role in education, endorsed a new initiative for Bible study and opposed expansion of the war in Iraq. We want to increase our program combating world hunger from $20 million annually to $25 million each year." Since when did telling Congress how to prosecute a war become the church's business? Sure we should be interested in health, education and welfare, but since the government can not preach the gospel, aren't our priorities out of line?
It's all symptomatic of our increasing transformation from a Confessional church to another liberal protestant denomination. In the opinion of this writer and many others, the ELCA was a premature merger of three denominations in the mid 1980's. There were many laudable reasons motivating it, however one motivation was the desire to help out 200 congregations who departed from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod over the use of the historical-critical method of interpreting Scripture. The last is a ventured guess to be sure, but there would seem to be little doubt that the ELCA is the only "liberal" Lutheran denomination in the USA and that the liberals have been in charge since its inception.
The Lutheran Coalition for Reform (CORE) has called a meeting to debrief the Chicago Assembly and to plan a strategy for the one in 2009. I expect it will be attended by leaders who are concerned that their denomination is close to entering a crisis. They need to realize that for congregations on both Coasts, the synods that have "Metro" in their name and the New England Synod as well, Confessionalists are already in a pickle. In some ways the vote to "show restraint" could not have been worse. The acceptance of "partnered" homosexual pastors and performing the ceremony of a "same sex union" is now entrenched and there will be no going back. Let that be absolutely, definitively clear there can be no going back. Can you imagine any Assembly voting for anything that could be interpreted as being unkind? That fact alone guarantees that the ELCA task force on sexuality will at least feel the pressure to say that sexuality is "adiaphora."
On top of all this, it is noteworthy that the activists have abandoned trying to make a case from Scripture. So what is behind the five year strategy "Lutherans Read the Bible"? All along we've said the issue is not homosexuality but the authority of Scripture. Now that sexuality is nearly a foregone conclusion, the next thing to do is to normalize the "contextual theology" hermeneutic exemplified by Craig Nessan were each generation must decide what the Bible says. Who's going to fight that out in five years after the conservatives leave?
Some feel called to that. Many don't, including myself. There are plenty of people who will never make the move to the new denomination and they give that witness. I do not feel called to give a witness to the ELCA forever. That is not the way I want to spend the rest of my life, and I do not look at it as a cross that I have to carry forever. We have some choice as to where we give witness, don't we?
This is just an analogy, but I did a research paper four years ago on "What Happened to the Lutheran Charismatic Movement?" I interviewed the half dozen main leaders from the beginning of the movement. I decided to interview a fellow who was younger than the others and was the only one who left the Lutheran church. He said that the movement had such great leaders that if they had decided to form a denomination after they had been rejected they would have easily been able to form a denomination of a similar size (ALC, LCA and LC-MS had about 3,000,000 members at the time). He said, "But all the leaders said no--they loved their church too much to step out". From my research I would guess that there were a million people involved in the Lutheran Charismatic Movement. Where are they now? Scattered to the four winds of American denominations. Some are in Vineyard churches, some in Assemblies, and a few are part of ARC, but many are losing clear Lutheran identity and are even split on when children should be baptized.
I hope it is clear that I am not saying we need to become Pentecostal. I also want to be careful not to give the impression that there is a need to form a new denomination right now. What we should be saying to others in the ELCA is "Are you concerned? We are too. Infact we decided to do something Nov 2005." We formed these two groups, one for political reform, one as a network for Evangelical Lutheran congregations who are going to remain Confessional and take clear stands.
I've been part of this since 2005 with an understanding from the beginning that what was in the back of our minds was what Dr. Benne said, 'So that we have a place to go if things go bad.' I have tried to say here clearly that we have to approach this situation with real humility and so we do not know how things are going to go, but we would be fools to not be getting ready for a split.
To me it's pretty simple. As CORE leadership is saying, we need to organize the solid people in the ELCA, reach them, get them go to their synod assemblies and send solid people to the 2009 assembly. However, we need to see this as a process in which what well may be more important than getting candidates elected. The process is the key. What we may well be doing is calling together the future denomination. We need to be prayerful, therefore we need to be humble, and in all humility we cannot say what is going to happen to the ELCA. Only God knows that. However, what we must also see ourselves as is stewards, and what kind of stewardship would it be to put all our work into reforming a denomination that clearly does not want to be reformed along our model? The ELCA is a denomination that wants to conform, not reform.
It may well be that we know when the time to leave because we are told to do just that. Therefore we do the reform work as part of a two prong strategy. The second part is to try and gather enough congregations that the future of a new Evangelical Lutheran Church which will fall in the middle between the ELCA and the LC-MS. In actuality it is where the laity of both denominations is. And I don't think I need to convince others to join me in this as much as convince you that this is already happening.
Is it necessary? I think so. Is it inevitable? I think so. Will it take the rest of our lives? I think so, but what else do you have to do with yours? As Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die."
Eric Swensson
New Rochelle, NY
LC3 Steering Committee
3 comments:
Thank you for another excellent post Rev. King! You have some great writers on this site, and as a layperson who is very concerned about the state of the ELCA, it is an encouragement everytime I read an article such as this latest one. The author is, in my opionion, absolutely correct when he says there is no going back in regards to the sexuality issues. I had been wondering what this Biblical Studies issue was all about, as it didn't seem consistent with the flow of the ELCA, and I think that his explanation of the motives for that are clear also.
I believe that we are in spiritual warfare within our church. Something we as Lutherans don't discuss much, but which is also fundamental to the Christian faith. We are being deceived to believe social concerns are more important than spiritual concerns, and the traditional "saving souls" if you don't mind. Social concerns are important, please don't misunderstand, but we have lost our focus of what Jesus came here for, "to save and redeem the lost". Christianity used to be concerned about sin, now we hardly hear it mentioned. We need to refocus on our primary relationship with Jesus Christ. One that calls for His Lordship, as well as His redeeming grace.
Plus, many congregations are basically clueless as to what is going on, or feel it doesn't concern them, or may have friends or loved ones who have chosen homosexuality, and don't want to be confrontative. Homosexuality is a gateway to eroding traditional scriptural interpretation. We emotionally look at the people, and not at the Bible as our source of knowledge.
I had thought the Biblical studies issue was a good idea, but unless the Bible is faithfully studied, the scriptures can be twisted to suit whatever one desires, rather than whatever God desires.
Spiritual warfare.
We need to be cognizant of this, and be on our knees now in prayer for our church if it is to survive. The only way I can see this happening is if the leadership takes action now!, and not in 2009, when it will be way too late. No, I also cannot say what God will do, but I know He does not look on sin, and will allow us our own choices.
I feel that if enough churches take action at this point, if preachers start preaching from the pulpit about what is happening to the church, and wake up their people, that perhaps we can turn the tide before 2009, if it isn't already too late.
Too many people don't even know what is happening, and preachers are afraid to discuss this from their pulpits. Perhaps the label Pastor, has lead to a calming effect on preaching, and more of an emphasis on caring, being kind,and not offending anyone. But, let's get back to preaching the word, and have your people bring their Bibles.
Another thing I've noticed is that people on the other side of the issue are unified under Lutherans Concerned.
We on the other hand, are many groups, striving to do the same thing, but I am not sure we are unified. In Southern CA we have Evangelical Mission Network. There is Lutheran Core. There is Word Alone. There is 3C. Each claiming to be striving for similar purposes, yet lacking in effectiveness, if I may be so blunt. We need to choose a leadership group and stand behind it.( And if there is just one group, forgive me, as I have been looking on the internet and find many groups, wondering which is really running the show, so to speak.)
The leadership needs to inform their individual congregations, and wake them from their complacency on this issue, or they will lose their church.
I myself felt like leaving and felt I could not be under the umbrella of such leadership. I informed my pastor and church council that something needed to be done, and walked out of our church council meeting when basically was met with what I felt was indifference. Now it has been a month, and they are going to finally study the issue and send a response back to the ELCA. All churches need to be sending responses to the ELCA now, if indeed many are still traditional, which I feel they are.
But, unless we become proactive, there will be either a split in 2009, or people will have become far too complacent and the gospel far too watered down, to have any effect. I find it hard to believe that the latest ruling did not cause a major shaking of churches in response. We are already far too complacent.
We need: 1. "If my people who are called by name will humble themselves, turn from their wicked ways, pray and call on my name, they will be saved." inform your people and get them in prayer, get all churches proactive in response that is loving. The gospel has the power to change lives, not leave people in sin. We need the church to become active in reaching out, caring for the homosexual community with the truth. It is a near impossible walk out, but is totally impossible without God, and fellow Christians standing beside and speaking the truth in love. We do not hate the peole who choose homosexuality, but we must realize that it is a choice and God desire wholeness for their lives, that cannot come from these choices. Form a means of caring for them. Welcome information from groups like Exodus International. Get training.
2. Leadership to be unified and form responses Now to the ELCA leadership. And yes, it is not just the sexuality issue. Pastor Swensson is right, what does the church have to say about the government running a war? Education, prisons, etc. Where is the emphasis on Missions? Saving souls? We are not a political body, we are the church and the church was commissioned to "go into all the world and preach the good news", and that needs to be the emphasis again.
3. Churches need to become aware of what is happening and of it's consequences to their Christian faith. On your church websites include links to Word Alone, Lutheran core, or whatever group you decide to make the leadership of this "fight" within. Post your churches stance. Encourage churches to commit to common confession and become unified. It feels a lot like the old "silent majority" in politics.
Preachers, please start preaching!
Thank you for your efforts so far, but please do not wait for 2009, take action now!
Would that God direct more people like this person. Would that the "Sleeping Giant" awake. Would that more lay people realize the power they have to influence the conservation of out theology and values.
Lay people: call your friends and family around the country who are in ELCA congregations. Tell them you are going to send them a link to this web site. Encourage them to respond to articles and to send them to others. Everyone should do as this person and ask to be put on the next Council agenda.
Excellent posts and comments, Rev. Swensoon is correct in pointing out the need to both fight hard to convert the ELCA to a mroe confessional path and to be prepared to leave it if it continues its' apostate path. The ELCA is a rapidly declining denomination whose leadership is largely oblivious to that fact, they ahve their own agenda and it is social justice from a very utopian ideallized view that Howard dean would be ocmfortable with but many of the rest of us are not. We shall see where all this goes, I for one will continue to fight for the confessional viewpoint and work to ge that viewpoint mroe well known. Many pastors are more concerned with their pensions than anything else, its a shame but true.
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