The Ministerium In Schism, A Church Divided

Pastor Jeff Ruby
Status Confessionis, ELCA pastor
posted on August 28, 2009

A week from the first vote in Minnesota that altered the landscape of the ECLA forever, I have had some time for a few reflections. I don't pass myself off as some deep thinking theologian, nor do my words reflect anything other than that of the parish pastor. A parish pastor who day in and day out ministers to the people, preaches the Word and administers the sacraments, and understands he is simul justus et peccator, at one and same time sinner and saint.

There are many of us, in fact probably a great majority, who simply cannot comprehend what happened last week. I was a voting member and I am not sure I understand. But we do know that the decisions made will ripple down and probably signals the end of the ELCA as a potent denomination in American Lutheranism.

I am not getting into the scriptural debates that have raged for the entire life of the ELCA on this issue. I think in all reality we have been operating with two diferent hermeneutics of scriptural interpretaion for a long, long time. It is why we have been obsessed with this for the entire life of the ELCA. Last week, I really wanted to talk about world hunger. About caring for the homeless. About why our church has lost half a million members in six years. About evangelism. There was little, if any , discussion on these topics. I do want to say this.

Most of us who struggle with this are not extremists on either side. We do not demonize those who think differently from us, nor do we hate people because of their sexual orientation. Many of us have gay friends and know people who struggle with sexual identity. As a pastor for 21 years, I have counseled many people who struggle in that arena. I have not judged them, nor condemned them, but tried to share God's love in all things. the rest