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Authority Issues in the ELCA...A Special Household Matter for August, 2005...
As it does every other year, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will meet in a Churchwide Assembly. This year, just over one thousand voting members from the sixty-five regional synods will converge on the Marriott Resort-Hotel-Convention Complex in Orlando, Florida. The assembly begins on Monday, August 8, and concludes on Sunday, the 14th. And, if ever seven days needed to be covered in prayer for our national church-wide denomination, “these there are them!”
More than issues concerning the ordination of persons in same sex relationships and the definition of Christian marriage; the heavy agenda on the table has much more to do with the authority of the Word of God. Is it our first source and norm for guiding our faith and life, or is it one player among many other sources of “wisdom” in this world? Do the traditions and whims of humankind trump the Scriptures? Can you or I skate by verses that make us personally uncomfortable and pretend, “I’m okay and you’re okay?”
Authority issues were the real bone of contention several years ago when some of us loudly objected to the terms and conditions of various “ecumenical agreements” that were being forged and forced through synodical and church-wide assemblies. Probably the most egregious of these was a “piece of work” known as Called to Common Mission; a near-merger agreement with the Episcopal Church in the USA (which by the way, has been placed on a three-year suspension by its parent body, the World Anglican Communion). Apparently, the heresy of ECUSA was even over the top for this usually pliable gathering.)
Many congregations in the ELCA had little or no information shared with them regarding the impending agreements. At Bethlehem, however, we did provide a forum for information and discussion. Our previous synodical Bishop even accepted an invitation to discuss and debate the merits of Called to Common Mission. Pastor Neal Snider ably represented our congregation as some 150 or more members did more than just look on! And Neal carried the day...not just because he was well organized and skilled in the art of theological debate; it was because he hit the nail on the head of the whole matter: the authority of the Word versus the traditions of humankind.
Things have only continued to deteriorate since then. If you need evidence, you only have to look at local synod “nickels and noses” reports. It appears that many of our congregations are merely being kept busy with tasks that are akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. While not taking on water as fast as the Episcopalians, our ELCA membership numbers and our number of congregations are sinking. The emperor has no clothes, but you would hardly know that by the tone of our synod assemblies over the years. Insufficient amount of time has been spent talking about evangelism and what it takes to be faithful to the Word of God; in light of our Lutheran theology and still be effective in reaching our neighbors with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Instead, we have been all about other issues and gathering ever more closely with other ships in distress. If Martin Luther were a Norwegian, he would join many of us in a loud, pain-filled
Uff-da!
For authority issues were the reasons Luther was willing to go to the mat with the misguided, full-of-himself Pope of the early 16th century. Those 95 Theses weren’t just some nifty ideas he came up with over beer and pretzels and chatting with friends. Famous Reformation phrases like “Sola Scriptura” and “Here I Stand” were the fruit of taking very seriously the claims and teachings of God in His Word.
As your duly called Pastors of Word and Sacrament, this is “Job One” for us at Bethlehem. We are betting (not in the casino sense, mind you) that many of you joined the congregation for reasons beyond great potlucks and free coffee. Many of you have expressed your appreciation for the decades-long tradition of seeking to present a clear word on God’s Word. We are in no mood or mind to abandon this principle now. This is especially true when Bill and I have done just a little more investigation to see what an “anything goes” understanding can yield.
When Bill shared in a June 5th sermon that the beautiful Cascade retreat compound known as Holden Village was getting really “funny;” it had nothing to do with hilarity but everything to do with potential heresy! When I received tips from some of you regarding bizarre and heretical practices in some California ELCA congregations; I did indeed find funny business that made me sick. In one instance, a San Francisco congregation that a generation ago gathered several hundred for worship, now gathers less than fifty. That isn’t the cause of illness however. If you visit the website known as “herchurch.org,” you will be confronted with an invitation to explore radical feminist theology and the opportunity to pray together the goddess rosary. That’s only part of their “missional work.” A trek over to West Sacramento on Easter Sunday would have meant the opportunity to gather with New Age and Wiccans for a Sunrise Service (of sorts).
There is more, but you get the idea that this isn’t just about several tough issues regarding same gender relationships. It is an “authority issue” of the greatest magnitude. It is my obligation as Senior Pastor to keep our Church Council and Congregation informed and updated. And if the information and updates continue to be troubling, we will strive to be prayerful, graceful and thoughtful of the response we will need to give under His authority. Meantime, pray diligently for discernment for the Church-wide voting members...and each member of the ELCA.
--- Pastor Jack Richards
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