Bill Crabtree, Pastor of Worship, Education, & Pastoral Care at Emanuel Lutheran Church (ELCA), Lodi, California, is one of 1,018 voting delegates who attended the ELCA's 2005 Churchwide Assembly August 8 - 14 in Orlando, Florida.
This blog contains Pastor Bill's daily reports about Assembly activities, including details about presentations and the outcomes of votes upon the resolutions debated.
I'm working on sharing some thoughts about the Lodi News-Sentinel August 27, 2005, article, but mainly I want to share some of the responses I've received after being back from the Assembly. Should have them posted in a few days. Thanks for your patience.
I'm sitting at an airport bar (one beer only) and have been watching golf while thunder storms have moved into Orlando International Airport. My flight is delayed and so I've pulled out my pda keyboard and, while waiting, will write a bit.
The thunder actually reminds me of the vote on the homosexuality recommendations. While we were debating, there must have been a huge thunder storm outside, because even inside the convention center and ball room you could hear the blasts of thunder! Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying in any way that there was some sign in all of this, although as soon as the vote was over, I didn't hear any more thunder. Ha Ha.
Without a doubt, we ELCA Lutherans are a diverse group. My best friend from high school is on his internship, moving toward becoming a pastor in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. David was in a conversation with some of his colleagues who were bemoning how far "off track" the ELCA is, especially our pondering change regarding homosexuality. He called me to see what was up with my beloved ELCA. It was a good conversation, but I shared with him what I often say to people: "The ELCA isn't a 'liberal' Church; it is a diverse Church." I've experienced that diversity now in a way I hadn't before. As I have said before, this is both a joy and a real pain!
There will be some talk of a "split" and a new Church forming, but I doubt the decisions of Orlando will push the orthodox or progressive folks out. Sounds like the Solid Rock folks are all about staying in and fighting the fight. I know that the Goodsoil folks are not going anywhere. Goodsoil was passing out pamphlets, basically saying they were very pleased with what they accomplished. I heard one person say that 95% of what they had hoped to accomplish had been achieved.
I suppose that both groups will now try and spin the votes at the Assembly in their favor. Regarding any group that would split off, these grouops haven't really had much of a track record. One Pastor I met at the Asssembly put it this way: "All the creeks that shoot off from the Church eventually dry up." Hmmm. What will the Lutheran landscape look like in another ten years?
There was a constant emphasis at this Assembly on the fact that our unity is not found in agreeing on "issues," but, rather, it is found in our Baptism and is a gift, not something we achieve. No doubt about this; however, I found myself wondering how much disagreement you can have in an organization before it evolves from being healthy to destructive. I can tell you that, on the issue of homosexuality, I think we are quite close to moving beyond a healthy tension and, fortunately or unfortunately, the Assembly didn't do too much to settle things one way or another. Of course, for many reasons, what the Assembly did was probably the best thing. No matter what we did, we were going to hurt somebody.
Our flight has taken off now and, interestingly, since our flight was delayed, we took off right as the sun was setting and we are now flying into the sunset. The sun has been setting now for about an hour and a half! When will the sun set on this issue? Probably not for a long time, and, as it is on this flight, it is going to be a bumpy ride.
Bishop Hanson has worked very hard, along with the Synodical Bishops and Churchwide staff, to hold this Church together. (They wouldn't like the term "hold together" because, as they have constantly said, Christ is the one who holds us together. Nevertheless, let's just use that term for a minute on a practical level.) I saw that in his parting words to the Assembly which were very moving. I hope and pray that all of our efforts to hang in together will be blessed and be a blessing. "Maintain the bond of unity," Paul says in Ephesians. Perhaps it is best to say Bishop Hanson, et. al. have worked really hard to "maintain" our bond.
The controversy on homosexuality is fading from my thoughts somewhat now, and I'm thinking about something even more important. When focusing on the business of the Assembly, one's personal relationship to Jesus Christ is not a major focus, nor is one's personal family life. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying those subjects weren't addressed, but the main focus was on one's global and local call to be Jesus' hands and feet to the poor and oppressed. Who can argue with taking care of the poor?!
But I think this observation, as inaccurate as it might be, gets at the real crisis in the ELCA: Do we agree -- and when I say agree, I don't just refer to intellectual assent, but I reference our passion, our "when the rubber meets the road," gut level -- on what we are all about? When I listened to the preaching at the worship services (by the way, having the Eucharist every day in the middle of the day was cool) and Bishop Hanson's parting words, and when I talk to fellow pastors, I hear the "social Gospel" way more than an Evangelical "justified by grace" Gospel. Bishop Hanson, in his report and opening sermon, clearly had our social concerns flowing out of the forgiveness we have freely received. All was in the right place, but, again, the passion seems to be focused on social issues. Such concern is part of our ELCA's constitution.
Again, such concern is obviously good and right. So the purpose of this diatribe is to say that I think we need to have a summit about what we believe the fundamental Gospel to be. We can talk about how we interpret the Bible, and even disagree there, but we have to have a clear understanding of the core Gospel. We have it on paper, but I'm not sure we have it in reality, in the hearts and minds of the leaders of this Church.
Perhaps I'm advocating that we go back to the many Lutheran streams that led into the ELCA and revisit one of the pietist movements. It would be awesome to have a Church that had the focus of the Evangelicals (personal relationship to Christ and support for the family) and the strong commitment to social ministry that we have in the ELCA. Of course, as I write this, I know there are those prophet-pastors in our ELCA for whom the ELCA'a commitment to care for the poor and oppressed is still greatly lacking.
Wow, an incredible lightning display is going on down below me! I don't think I've seen anything like it! And if I'm not mistaken, I think we have to land down there in that storm! Yup, into the clouds we go. Perhaps this, too, is a good metaphor. With all this talking, thinking, and voting, rainbow stoles, pamphlets, and stickers, it's time to get back down into the storms of life: personal, communal, and global. I think of all those lay people and pastors sitting together in the Assembly hall, all working together amid the storms of life and this broken world, and, truly, I'm awful glad I'm not alone, but I've got some partners down there in the storm, on the ground, in the trenches. Jesus is, thanks be to God, always there.
Finally, as we approach Sacramento and I look down at the lights of this immense city, our Assembly looks awfully small. Now I'm thinking of how big our mission of bringing Christ to the world is. I simply pray that somehow, the work of this Assembly will advance that mission. God help us.
Well, the days have been long and we have worked hard. Haven't had any time to venture out to see some of the attractions. Oh, well.
Yesterday and this morning we continue to deal with various issues. Yesterday, we worked hard on the Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine. What we passed was much more balanced than the recommedation that came out originally in our preassembly packet. One of the voting members from our Synod worked hard with the representatives from the Church Council and made some changes before it was brought to the Assembly. On the floor an amendment was offered that made even greater changes, but that was defeated. The original proposal did pass.
We've worked on memorials. I think I'm figuring out the process which I won't try and explain (a way that our Synods try to advise the Churchwide Assembly). I will say that I don't really think it is worth all the work Synods put into memorials. Especially now, as the Assembly is running out of energy. Most of the time the Memorials Committee recommends that the Assembly refer them to some committee.
The Churchwide Assembly again resoundingly defeated any suggestion that it grant "ratifying" responsibility to Synods or congregations. As I've mentioned, I think that, for many reasons, this is a good idea. I guess our full Communion relationship with the Presbyterian Church (the Presbyterian Church does have a ratification System) will not be allowed to affect (or for those who know the language of the agreement, "admonish") us or influence us in this area. I think the reason it fails is because those putting the idea of ratification forward are perceived as doing it out of distrust of the churchwide organization. For me, it isn't distrust that motivates my support but, rather, a desire for congregations to feel and see that their voice matters and counts. Anyway, it's an idea that is dead in the water.
There was a very touching moment at the closing of the Assembly as thank you's were given. When we got to Bishop Hanson, he received a very long standing ovation. He asked his wife to come forward and thanked her for her support. It was very moving and beautiful. The Bishop's final words were tinged with deep emotion and there were many tears.
I am tired. For those of you who have gone to Synod Assemblies, imagine doing that work for 6 days! Overall, I have to say that I am weary of hearing from some of the people who are quick to get to the microphones and from which we have heard way too much!
As far as my overall thoughts on the Assembly go, it's going to take me quite awhile to process all that has gone on.
As I read the media reports on the Assembly which are, of course, focused on the homosexuality resolutions, it is clear that no one really knows how to interpret the resolutions passed. Seems like most articles I'm reading are focused on the "no" to granting exceptions allowing non-celibate gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered pastors to serve congregations. I guess that we will just have to see how this Assembly's work is interpreted and will affect what Bishops and congregations do.
I'll write one more entry when I get home. I am pleased and priviliged to be part of a great group from the Sierra Pacific Synod. We all took our duties very seriously and conscientiously.
Bishop Hanson truly does a great job chairing the Assembly. He is very pastoral and, at the same time, keeps the Assembly moving in the right direction. Lots of humor and laughter. After the discussion on the homosexuality studies, the Assembly gave the Bishop a standing ovation for the way he handled the discussion and the "protest." Lowell Almen, our secretary, truly does have a wonderful dry wit. I have to celebrate the wonderful worship services, even though the preaching sometimes . . . well, I won't go there . . .
The music was awesome. The way the Assembly is handled is first class in my experience.
Moreover, when you hear of all the ministries internationally and nationally that are part of the ELCA, it is a wonder and amazing. A privilege to be here. As the rep from the Lutheran Church in Canada ("LCIC") spoke, I learned today that the LCIC, at their last Assembly, defeated a local option to bless same gender unions 54 to 45%. I guess that, from what I've heard about Canada, that surprised me a bit.
Today we have the Recommendation regarding the ELCA's Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine. A Jewish organization, CAMERA: Committe for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, took out a huge add in USA Today (August 12) stating that the voting mmbers of this Synod are being asked to "support an ant-Israel resolution." The Assembly has now asked that the Lutheran Palestinian Bishop of Jordon speak to the Assembly. It will be an interesting discussion and another one that many people are watching. More prayers needed.
