Influential Theologian Discusses Future of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
I just received this email from WordAlone, a group working for reform of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). WordAlone's mission is to call the ELCA to once more embracing the foundational belief that the Bible, as the Word of God, is the authoritative source and norm of our life, faith, and practice. The article quotes the informed musings of one of our most eminent leaders, pastor and church historian James Nestingen.
Nestingen addresses crisis in ELCA
by Betsy Carlson, editor
After hearing an inspiring talk by Prof. James Nestingen,
WordAlone Network members heard about its board of
directors’ proposals to look into forming an association of
“confessing” congregations and a house of studies to
prepare individuals for ministry, as an alternative to
present seminaries.
Nestingen told his hearers that now is the time for the
WordAlone to prepare to possibly be forced out of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America because of its stand
to live by the truth of Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions.
He said a couple of things have occurred that have made
WordAlone’s standing in the ELCA more precarious. For one
thing, the ELCA has not responded to the WordAlone
Theological Board’s Admonition for the Sake of the True
Peace and Unity of the Church; and ELCA bishops have made
it almost impossible for candidates to obtain exceptions to
the requirement of ordination by bishops in Called to
Common Mission, the full communion agreement with The
Episcopal Church USA.
The other event is the recent actions of the ELCA Church
Council, by a nearly unanimous vote, to propose the
creation of a process for granting exceptions to ELCA
ordination qualifications requiring celibacy of gay and
lesbians seeking ordination or consecration or
commissioning to ministry. This exception, if okayed by the
ELCA Churchwide Assembly next August in Florida, would
allow gays and lesbians in same-sex relationships to be
ordained and rostered as ministers at the discretion of the
Conference of Bishops.
"I never thought I’d ask this,” Nestingen stated, “but what
do we do now?”
He said now is the time to look into creating alliances
with other ELCA members who “have been pushed to the
margins. “This church is leaving us, stripping us of
standing in the body which we have cherished,” he
commented.
Now is the time to take provisional steps for the sake of
WordAlone’s witness and for the sake of its congregations,
he said. “Jesus has always loved sinners and is always at
his best when there is no human hope. He may turn this
around and bring us from this long crucifixion we have
endured in this church to resurrection.”
As he finished, the 450 to 500 persons gathered rose to
give him a long, standing ovation.
Board members Dr. Dennis Bielfeldt, a professor of religion
at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., and
Pastor Randy Freund of Faith Lutheran Church in Hutchinson,
Minn., then presented resolutions to look into creating a
house of studies and an association of confessing churches.
Along with WordAlone president Jaynan Clark Egland, they
answered questions from WordAlone members, such as: “Will
members of the new association be required to join
WordAlone?” The answer was, “No.” The board members
suggested that much of what the house of studies and new
association will look like is still to be determined. They
acknowledged they don’t know if the association ultimately
will leave the ELCA or not.
Further discussion of the proposals and votes on the
resolutions are expected Tuesday.
WordAlone is meeting in convention at St. Andrew’s Lutheran
Church in Mahtomedi, Minn. Keynote speakers are discussing
the authority of Scripture in teaching sessions.