When faith and politics collide

Our congregation is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (the ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the US. Often I'm asked, "What does that mean? What authority does the ELCA have over St. John's?"

It's helpful to know a bit about church polity, ie, the way we're governed. Lutherans are both congregational (which means that we are legally independent non-profits with ultimate authority regarding issues of policy and procedures), and episcopal (which means that we find unity in our bishop, our church institutions, and our church-wide expression).

One of the things I love about being a Lutheran is our theological unity. Lutherans have been the world's great stewards of a theology of grace and our belief in a "priesthood of all believers." At the same time, our denomination makes room for a broad spectrum of those who would be socially conservative, liberal, and everything in between. We are at our best when we cling to our theological roots, while engaging in rich, respectful conversation around issues that matter, like race, sexuality, and immigration. We can approach these issues from different perspectives, as long as we first seek Jesus' high command to love God and love one another (Mark 12:30-31).

With all that in mind, let me share a few comments about last week's ELCA church-wide Assembly in Milwaukee. To be honest, church-wide gatherings receive very little attention (despite what we like to think), and that's certainly the case this time-around ... except when the ELCA passed a resolution claiming itself as a "sanctuary church" in regard to immigrants and refugees. Nothing terribly unusual. Christians have been a sanctuary church for 2000 years, clinging to a very distinct expectation to care for the stranger. No argument there.

Until Fox News got involved. During a 5 1/2 minute discussion -- which included no representative from the ELCA -- the four panelists ripped into the church's decision, saying that the church was asking its congregations to act illegally. Give me a break.

I hope you know me well enough that I value a variety of opinions -- political, theological and otherwise. But at the very least, let's get the facts straight. It was painfully obvious that the panelists had not read the statement and knew absolutely nothing about ELCA polity (see paragraph 1 above).

You and I might disagree about immigration issues. Hallelujah. Let's talk about it. But let's at least do enough homework to get our facts straight. With that in mind, the following links are helpful in better understanding the church's not-very-new statement about being a "sanctuary church."

1. ELCA talking points
2. An ELCA pastor responds to criticism

Interested in learning more? One of our members, Ted Goins, is the CEO of Lutheran Services Carolinas, which helps to resettle refugees in the Carolinas and advocate for just treatment of immigrants. We are hosting an open conversation with Ted on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 7 pm in the Faith Center. It's a perfect opportunity to gather around the table and learn from one another.

Which is something else I love about being a Lutheran: gathering around a table of grace.

On hate speech, refugees and more shootings

It's another day of grieving around the United States as two communities bury victims of two unrelated mass shooting in El Paso and Dayton. 

As we continue to sort through the details, three questions come to mind: 

1. Why is hate speech the root cause of so much tragedy? The Texan shooter spent months writing a manifesto that spews mean-spirited vitriol towards immigrants. It’s hard to read, and even harder to comprehend how someone could be filled with so much anger. One thing is certain: such anger/hate rarely lives in isolation. It’s frightening to know that others feel the same way. 

2. Politics can be brutal, and this isn't the first time politicians have hurled insults toward one another in the aftermath of tragedy. Regardless, are there any grown-ups in Washington? I'd sure like to hear from one. 

3. When will we learn the difference between immigrant and refugee? An immigrant is someone who chooses to resettle to another country. A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his/her home country because of war, genocide, etc. There is no doubt we have immigration issues that have to be brought under control. While we figure things out, let’s not leave refugees out in the cold. They are widely considered the most vetted group of people trying to enter the United States. Since the late 1940s, the Lutheran church has been at the forefront of resettling refugees in the US. So why is the administration proposing to slash refugee admissions to zero next year? It's a ludicrous idea that's contrary to any sense of Judeo-Christian values. The United States has a long history of embracing refugees with a different kind of compassion. Let's not stop now. 

Join me in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Texas and Ohio ... and for all of us as we find ways to be a more civil, faithful, forgiving, peace-loving society.